The Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology received an order from the navy for a domestically developed exploding drone, the state-owned defense technology research group said yesterday.
The institute is conducting the final certification tests before delivering Loitering Munition 1 to the navy, institute aeronautics systems research division director Yeh Chia-fan (葉嘉範) told a news conference unveiling training simulators in Taichung.
The institute’s Teng Yun 2 (騰雲二型, “Cloud Rider”), Albatross II (銳鳶二型) and Cardinal (紅雀) uncrewed aerial vehicles have been presented to the armed forces after completing all tests, he said, adding that the drone systems are being fielded in batches as the budget permits.
Photo: Ritchie B. Tongo, EPA-EFE
Loitering Munition 1 features an electro-optical infrared camera system, a tablet-based controller and a launcher that uses compressed air, the institute said.
It utilizes a high-explosive warhead and can be deployed against personnel, vehicles and other high-value targets at a range of more than 100km, with a loitering time of 15 minutes, it added.
The institute is developing Loitering Munition 2, an optionally autonomous weapon that uses radar and infrared guidance, and has foldable wings, pods for installation in vehicles and ships, and a hybrid gas-diesel-electric power source.
Photo: Liu Hsin-de, Taipei Times
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a source said the performance of Loitering Munition 1 suggests that the system is intended for use by ground forces, meaning the navy is probably buying the weapons for the Marine Corps.
Loitering Munition 1’s procurement is likely listed in the classified portion of the defense budget, as the nonclassified part contains no reference to it, they said.
Separately, Yeh said the institute has completed eight types of training simulators, including a virtual reality-based system for training remote pilots to perform takeoffs, landings and other skills.
Another drone simulator — designed to train remote pilots and payload operators in advanced tasks — would feature realistic instrument panels, high-definition camera feeds and simulated links with the drone intelligence center, he said.
The CIA has a message for Chinese government officials worried about their place in Chinese President Xi Jinping’s (習近平) government: Come work with us. The agency released two Mandarin-language videos on social media on Thursday inviting disgruntled officials to contact the CIA. The recruitment videos posted on YouTube and X racked up more than 5 million views combined in their first day. The outreach comes as CIA Director John Ratcliffe has vowed to boost the agency’s use of intelligence from human sources and its focus on China, which has recently targeted US officials with its own espionage operations. The videos are “aimed at
STEADFAST FRIEND: The bills encourage increased Taiwan-US engagement and address China’s distortion of UN Resolution 2758 to isolate Taiwan internationally The Presidential Office yesterday thanked the US House of Representatives for unanimously passing two Taiwan-related bills highlighting its solid support for Taiwan’s democracy and global participation, and for deepening bilateral relations. One of the bills, the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act, requires the US Department of State to periodically review its guidelines for engagement with Taiwan, and report to the US Congress on the guidelines and plans to lift self-imposed limitations on US-Taiwan engagement. The other bill is the Taiwan International Solidarity Act, which clarifies that UN Resolution 2758 does not address the issue of the representation of Taiwan or its people in
DEFENDING DEMOCRACY: Taiwan shares the same values as those that fought in WWII, and nations must unite to halt the expansion of a new authoritarian bloc, Lai said The government yesterday held a commemoration ceremony for Victory in Europe (V-E) Day, joining the rest of the world for the first time to mark the anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. Taiwan honoring V-E Day signifies “our growing connections with the international community,” President William Lai (賴清德) said at a reception in Taipei on the 80th anniversary of V-E Day. One of the major lessons of World War II is that “authoritarianism and aggression lead only to slaughter, tragedy and greater inequality,” Lai said. Even more importantly, the war also taught people that “those who cherish peace cannot
US Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo on Friday expressed concern over the rate at which China is diversifying its military exercises, the Financial Times (FT) reported on Saturday. “The rates of change on the depth and breadth of their exercises is the one non-linear effect that I’ve seen in the last year that wakes me up at night or keeps me up at night,” Paparo was quoted by FT as saying while attending the annual Sedona Forum at the McCain Institute in Arizona. Paparo also expressed concern over the speed with which China was expanding its military. While the US
RSS