The Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (CSIST) yesterday inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with US-based Saronic Technologies to jointly develop modular uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs) to augment Taiwanese capabilities to produce high-level artificial intelligence (AI) control systems for USVs.
The MOU with Saronic Technologies and Maritime Tactical Systems (MarTac) would reduce development time and diversify high-end technology sources, government officials said on the condition of anonymity.
The government would also diversify its USV manufacturing to ensure that multiple companies could rapidly produce USVs in times of emergency, the source said.
Photo courtesy of the institute via CNA
Citing the Ministry of National Defense’s proposed special budget, the source said the Armaments Bureau’s Materiel Production Center would take point for domestic procurement and integration of all pyrotechnic-related processes to procure 1,320 suicide USVs.
The number of procured vessels would not include vessels required by the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) or other departments, according to the budget.
The USVs must be stealth-capable, with a remote-control range of 40km or above, and an operational range of 250 nautical miles (463km), while being capable of carrying large amounts of explosives or reconnaissance systems, it said.
The source said the institute in September last year inked an MOU with MarTac to develop technologies enabling USVs to perform AI-based target identification and tracking, autonomous interception, protective barrier deployment, synchronized operations among multiple vessels, avoidance of maritime surface obstacles, kinetic interception and autonomous tactical decisionmaking.
The technologies would allow USVs to support CGA operations during peacetime and reduce the personnel allotment, ensuring the CGA can transition to a wartime footing in the event of an invasion, the source said.
The MOU inked with Saronic chief executive officer Kostadino George Mavrookas yesterday would allow both sides to share knowledge on command-and-control systems software, ship design, system integration and the development of autonomous USV supply chains, the source said.
CSIST-developed Kuai Chi USVs, which completed sea trials last year, could see a drastic reduction in manufacturing overhead with the introduction of Saronic software and components, the institute said.
The CSIST-Saronic MOU would foster domestic shipbuilding while ensuring that Taiwan’s electronics and software industries establish a foothold in global national defense supply chains, it added.
Actor Darren Wang (王大陸) was sentenced to six months in prison, commutable to a fine, by the New Taipei District Court today for contravening the Personal Data Protection Act (個人資料保護法) in a case linked to an alleged draft-dodging scheme. Wang allegedly paid NT$3.6 million (US$114,380) to an illegal group to help him evade mandatory military service through falsified medical documents, prosecutors said. He transferred the funds to Chen Chih-ming (陳志明), the alleged mastermind of a draft-evasion ring, although he lost contact with him as he was already in detention on fraud charges, they said. Chen is accused of helping a
SECURITY: Starlink owner Elon Musk has taken pro-Beijing positions, and allowing pro-China companies to control Taiwan’s critical infrastructure is risky, a legislator said Starlink was reluctant to offer services in Taiwan because of the nation’s extremely high penetration rates in 4G and 5G services, the Ministry of Digital Affairs said yesterday. The ministry made the comments at a meeting of the legislature’s Transportation Committee, which reviewed amendments to Article 36 of the Telecommunications Management Act (電信管理法). Article 36 bans foreigners from holding more than 49 percent of shares in public telecommunications networks, while shares foreigners directly and indirectly hold are also capped at 60 percent of the total, unless specified otherwise by law. The amendments, sponsored by Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Ko
UNREASONABLE SURVEILLANCE: A camera targeted on an road by a neighbor captured a man’s habitual unsignaled turn into home, netting him dozens of tickets The Taichung High Administrative Court has canceled all 45 tickets given to a man for failing to use a turn signal while driving, as it considered long-term surveillance of his privacy more problematic than the traffic violations. The man, surnamed Tseng (曾), lives in Changhua County and was reported 45 times within a month for failing to signal while driving when he turned into the alley where his residence is. The reports were filed by his neighbor, who set up security cameras that constantly monitored not only the alley but also the door and yard of Tseng’s house. The surveillance occurred from July
‘SAME OLD TRICK’: Even if Beijing resumes individual travel to Taiwan, it would only benefit Chinese tourism companies, the Economic Democracy Union convener said China’s 10 new “incentives” are “sugar-coated poison,” an official said yesterday, adding that Taiwanese businesses see them clearly for what they are, but that Beijing would inevitably find some local collaborators to try to drums up support. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, made the remark ahead of a news conference the General Chamber of Commerce is to hold today. The event, titled “Industry Perspectives on China’s Recent Pro-Taiwan Policies,” is expected to include representatives from industry associations — such as those in travel, hotels, food and agriculture — to request the government cooperate with China’s new measures, people familiar with
RSS