Taiwan is emerging as a regional hub for next-generation uncrewed systems, a security expert said yesterday, after a drone made by Taiwan’s Thunder Tiger Group was included in the US Department of Defense’s Blue UAS (uncrewed aerial systems) Cleared List.
“Thunder Tiger’s Blue UAS certification is a milestone that signals Taiwan’s defense industry can now produce unmanned systems that meet the US Department of Defense’s strictest cybersecurity, supply chain and operational standards,” said Sunny Cheung (張崑陽), a fellow for China Studies at the Jamestown Foundation.
On Saturday, Thunder Tiger’s Overkill, a first-person-view (FPV) suicide drone, became the first drone from Taiwan to meet the Pentagon’s stringent requirements for US military use.
Photo: CNA
“For Taiwan, this not only accelerates the military’s planned deployment of tens of thousands of FPV drones, but also establishes a gold standard for local companies to follow, fostering a self-sufficient defense ecosystem,” Cheung said.
The Blue UAS clearance provides a trusted pathway for integrating Taiwanese drones into US and allied networks, he added.
This development signals that the nation is “becoming part of a wider allied defense technology network, reinforcing deterrence against Beijing and positioning Taiwan as a regional innovation hub for secure, next-generation unmanned systems,” he said.
American Enterprise Institute senior fellow Dan Blumenthal praised Taiwan for having a strong local drone industry.
“Taiwan has the manufacturing capability, industrial capacity and innovative spirit to build a world-class ‘red free’ drone industry,” he said.
Meanwhile, US-Taiwan Business Council vice president Lotta Danielsson also praised Thunder Tiger.
“To make the list, systems must pass rigorous supply chain audits and extensive cybersecurity reviews, and must be validated as meeting federal standards,” she said.
The US government’s statement of trust in the company should open up potential US and other allied market opportunities for Thunder Tiger, she added.
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