The Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (CSIST) on Thursday signed contracts and memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with six international defense companies, coinciding with the opening of the Taipei Aerospace and Defense Technology Exhibition.
The partners include Canadian firm Airshare, and US companies Anduril, Leonardo DRS, AeroVironment, MARTAC and Northrop Grumman, the institute said.
CSIST president Lee Shih-chiang (李世強) signed an MOU with Leonardo DRS vice president Alan Mosher on fire control, gun control and sighting systems for the army’s M60A3 tanks.
Photo: RITCHIE B. TONGO, EPA
In the Airshare collaboration, CSIST is to integrate the Interceptor UX rocket system with its counter-uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) technology to neutralize hostile drones and protect military units and critical infrastructure, with integration tests planned by year’s end at Jioupeng (九棚) in Pingtung County’s Manjhou Township (滿州).
The institute would also expand its partnership with Anduril on low-cost loitering munitions and the Dive-LD underwater vehicle, Taiwan’s first autonomous navigation platform capable of 10-day submerged reconnaissance.
AeroVironment is to codevelop dual-use UAVs, while MARTAC would focus on uncrewed surface vessels with artificial intelligence-enabled target recognition and coordinated operations, and Northrop Grumman would assist in integrating missiles into the Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) framework, a next-generation air and missile defense network.
All projects would emphasize local production, technology transfer and long-term collaboration to bolster Taiwan’s indigenous defense capabilities, the institute said.
The exhibition, held at the Nangang Exhibition Center in Taipei through today, features 400 exhibitors from 14 countries, the largest in the event’s history.
The CSIST is showcasing several of its latest systems at the exhibition, including a low-cost loitering munition, the Chien-Feng IV jet-powered target drone, the Kuai-Chi uncrewed surface vessel, the Rui-Yuan II (Sharp Hawk II) UAV and the Tien Kung IV (Sky Bow IV) missile system.
Meanwhile, Taoyuan-based Champion Auto Co yesterday signed a MOU with BAE Systems to provide logistical support and maintenance for Taiwan’s military equipment.
The agreement covers a range of systems, including M109A7 self-propelled howitzers, M88A2 armored recovery vehicles and AAV7 amphibious armed personnel carriers.
However, the US has not yet approved the sale of the M109A7 to Taiwan.
BAE Systems vice president for international business development in Asia Yoshi Tanaka declined to comment on the howitzer sale, saying only that the MOU is intended to help “prepare for future needs.”
BAE Systems is a multinational aerospace, defense and security company headquartered in London.
The collaboration is a new milestone for the company, Champion Auto said, adding that by combining BAE Systems’ extensive experience in military system integration with its own local capabilities, the two firms aim to provide Taiwan’s armed forces with more reliable equipment support.
The company has long specialized in the sale and maintenance of construction machinery and heavy-duty vehicles.
The MOU was signed on the second day of the exhibition.
Andy Corea, vice president and general manager of BAE Systems’ Combat Mission Systems business, said that as the original manufacturer of much of Taiwan’s military equipment, BAE Systems would expand its partnership with Champion Auto to continue supporting the nation’s defense forces.
In other news, President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday visited the 2025 Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition (TADTE), where he toured booths of local and foreign defense companies, including US defense contractor Lockheed Martin, which manufactures F-16 fighter jets for Taiwan.
At the Nangang Exhibition Center, Lai visited the Defense Industry Pavilion and the Aerospace Industry Pavilion, where he was briefed on drone systems and newly developed counter-drone technologies by Taiwanese firms.
He also visited exhibits by the Taiwan Space Agency and a booth showcasing military wargaming systems, before heading to the sections featuring exhibitors from the United States and the Czech Republic.
During his stops at booths set up by US defense and aerospace companies Shield AI, Inc and Lockheed Martin Corp, Lai spoke briefly with representatives from the two companies and received product briefings.
Lockheed Martin manufactures Taiwan's Air Force F-16 fighters, while Shield AI is partnering with Taiwan's fighter jet developer Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. (AIDC) to develop an advanced unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) ecosystem.
Lai spent about an hour touring the Ministry of National Defense pavilion, where he tried several training simulators and was briefed on one of the highlights of this year's exhibition, the enhanced version of the Tien Kung III surface-to-air missile system.
The showing marked the first public display of the enhanced Tien Kung III, including the missile, its launcher and associated radar.
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