Taiwan is rapidly advancing its naval drone (USV) capabilities, drawing inspiration from Ukraine’s “unprecedented success” using similar uncrewed surface vessels in the Black Sea to disrupt Russian naval operations, a report released yesterday by international media outlet Naval News said.
The new fleet of USVs has been designed to disrupt and weaken a possible Chinese invasion by targeting landing craft, disrupting supply lines and exposing enemy ships to missile strikes, it said.
Photo: Naval News
Four new drones are being developed with support from National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology and private industry, with at least 12 firms involved in recent trials as the pace has “visibly quickened,” it said.
Analysts have said that Taiwan’s USV developments could significantly increase the cost and complexity required for China to invade, which could “add to the uncertainty for Beijing’s military planners... [and] increase Beijing’s risk calculus,” it added.
“Few individual weapons are war winning, and the threat from mainland China (PRC) is nuanced, but these could make a difference,” the report said.
The first wave of war-fighting designs was demonstrated in June, it said.
The Kuaiqi most closely matches the Ukrainian design as a low-profile vessel that can travel at a fast speed of 43 knots and is armed with loitering munitions and explosive bow charges, it said.
The Endeavour Manta, a “more futuristic” design, is a trimaran with satellite communications, radar-absorbing materials and optional crew capability, while the Sea Shark 800 is a heavily-armored motorboat evolved from the earlier Sea Shark 400 model, it added.
Meanwhile, the nine-meter long Piranha 9 has a radar-absorbent hull, a drone hangar and is powered by twin inboard motors driving water jets, it said.
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