The US has provided Taiwan with a Jump 20 uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) system to boost security in the Taiwan Strait, the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said on Monday.
The US provided the drone for free in a deal brokered by CGA Director-General Chou Mei-wu (周美伍) at the end of last year, local media reported.
Washington also agreed to provide training for drone operators, they reported.
Photo: Screen grab from AeroVironment Inc’s Web site
Jump 20 is a fixed-wing drone with vertical takeoff and landing capabilities. It is developed by AeroVironment Inc, based in Arlington, Virginia.
The agreement aims to tackle the illegal transfer of oil between ships at sea, illicit fishing and cross-border criminal activity, as well as provide assistance during maritime search-and-rescue operations.
CGA personnel with drone operator certificates have undergone training to fly the Jump 20, a source familiar with the matter said.
Neither media reports nor the CGA said when the drone was delivered.
Local media have reported that the CGA encountered import control barriers when importing the drone to Taiwan, and that it requested technical assistance from the Ministry of National Defense and the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology.
However, the CGA on Monday denied the reports.
Lawmakers across the political spectrum hailed the acquisition.
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Johnny Chiang (江啟臣) said he was pleased to see Washington’s willingness to provide the drone for free, given it is a next-generation model used by the US Army.
The move points at substantive progress in regional security cooperation between Taiwan and the US, he said.
It takes one step further Washington’s plan to send Taiwan US$500 million in weapons aid, including Stinger missiles, he added.
The drone would boost the CGA’s capability to combat crimes at sea, and maintain maritime and regional security, Chiang said, adding that it could also play a more important role in areas other than surveillance and reconnaissance.
Its ability to be deployed, operated and sustained from any location would be beneficial in the event military infrastructure is damaged in an attack, Chiang said.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Chuang Jui-hsiung (莊瑞雄) said the drone would boost the CGA’s ability to improve security and crack down on maritime crime.
Chang Yen-ting (張延廷), a former deputy commander of the air force, said the drone can provide multisensor intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
The drone can stay airborne for more than 14 hours per mission and has a top speed of 93kph, he said, adding that its low visual and acoustic signature makes it ideal for multimission operations.
Chieh Chung (揭仲), an associate research fellow at the National Policy Foundation in Taipei, said the drone can indirectly improve Taiwan’s capability to survey its surrounding waters, which would help the nation counter “gray zone” threats by China.
Aftershocks from a magnitude 6.2 earthquake that struck off Yilan County at 3:45pm yesterday could reach a magnitude of 5 to 5.5, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Seismological Center technical officer Chiu Chun-ta (邱俊達) told a news conference that the epicenter of the temblor was more than 100km from Taiwan. Although predicted to measure between magnitude 5 and 5.5, the aftershocks would reach an intensity of 1 on Taiwan’s 7-tier scale, which gauges the actual effect of an earthquake, he said. The earthquake lasted longer in Taipei because the city is in a basin, he said. The quake’s epicenter was about 128.9km east-southeast
GENSLER SURVEY: ‘Economic infrastructure is not enough. A city needs to inspire pride, offer moments of joy and foster a sense of belonging,’ the company said Taipei was named the city with the “highest staying power” in the world by US-based design and architecture firm Gensler. The Taiwanese capital earned the top spot among 65 cities across six continents with 64 percent of Taipei respondents in a survey of 33,000 people saying they wanted to stay in the city. Rounding out the top five were Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City (61 percent), Singapore (59 percent), Sydney (58 percent) and Berlin (51 percent). Sixth to 10th place went to Monterrey, Mexico; Munich, Germany; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Vancouver; and Seoul. Cities in the US were ranked separately, with Minneapolis first at
The New Taipei City Government today warned about the often-overlooked dangers of playing in water, and recommended safe swimming destinations to cool off from the summer heat. The following locations in the city as safe and fun for those looking to enjoy the water: Chienshuiwan (淺水灣), Baishawan (白沙灣), Jhongjiao Bay (中角灣), Fulong Beach Resort (福隆海水浴場) and Sansia District’s (三峽) Dabao River (大豹溪), New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Department Director-General Yang Tsung-min (楊宗珉) said. Outdoor bodies of water have variables outside of human control, such as changing currents, differing elevations and environmental hazards, all of which can lead to accidents, Yang said. Sudden
Tropical Storm Podul has formed over waters north-northeast of Guam and is expected to approach the seas southeast of Taiwan next week, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said today. The 11th Pacific storm of the year developed at 2am over waters about 2,660km east of Oluanpi (歐鑾鼻), Pingtung County — Taiwan's southernmost tip. It is projected to move westward and could have its most significant impact on Taiwan on Wednesday and Thursday next week, the CWA said. The agency did not rule out the possibility of issuing a sea warning at that time. According to the CWA's latest update, Podul is drifting west-northwest
RSS