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.
EUROPEAN TARGETS: The planned Munich center would support TSMC’s European customers to design high-performance, energy-efficient chips, an executive said Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC, 台積電), the world’s largest contract chipmaker, yesterday said that it plans to launch a new research-and-development (R&D) center in Munich, Germany, next quarter to assist customers with chip design. TSMC Europe president Paul de Bot made the announcement during a technology symposium in Amsterdam on Tuesday, the chipmaker said. The new Munich center would be the firm’s first chip designing center in Europe, it said. The chipmaker has set up a major R&D center at its base of operations in Hsinchu and plans to create a new one in the US to provide services for major US customers,
The Ministry of Transportation and Communications yesterday said that it would redesign the written portion of the driver’s license exam to make it more rigorous. “We hope that the exam can assess drivers’ understanding of traffic rules, particularly those who take the driver’s license test for the first time. In the past, drivers only needed to cram a book of test questions to pass the written exam,” Minister of Transportation and Communications Chen Shih-kai (陳世凱) told a news conference at the Taoyuan Motor Vehicle Office. “In the future, they would not be able to pass the test unless they study traffic regulations
GAINING STEAM: The scheme initially failed to gather much attention, with only 188 cards issued in its first year, but gained popularity amid the COVID-19 pandemic Applications for the Employment Gold Card have increased in the past few years, with the card having been issued to a total of 13,191 people from 101 countries since its introduction in 2018, the National Development Council (NDC) said yesterday. Those who have received the card have included celebrities, such as former NBA star Dwight Howard and Australian-South Korean cheerleader Dahye Lee, the NDC said. The four-in-one Employment Gold Card combines a work permit, resident visa, Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) and re-entry permit. It was first introduced in February 2018 through the Act Governing Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals (外國專業人才延攬及雇用法),
‘A SURVIVAL QUESTION’: US officials have been urging the opposition KMT and TPP not to block defense spending, especially the special defense budget, an official said The US plans to ramp up weapons sales to Taiwan to a level exceeding US President Donald Trump’s first term as part of an effort to deter China as it intensifies military pressure on the nation, two US officials said on condition of anonymity. If US arms sales do accelerate, it could ease worries about the extent of Trump’s commitment to Taiwan. It would also add new friction to the tense US-China relationship. The officials said they expect US approvals for weapons sales to Taiwan over the next four years to surpass those in Trump’s first term, with one of them saying
RSS