Taiwan needs 'hornet's nest' of drones to deter conflict, top US diplomat says

Taiwan must transform into a "hornet's nest" of drones to deter potential conflict, according to the top US diplomat on the island. Raymond Greene, director of the American Institute in Taiwan, emphasized that drones offer a "game-changing opportunity" to bolster Taiwan's security and regional peace.

Greene, speaking at a drone forum in Taichung, highlighted the success of drones in Ukraine, even for defenders facing overwhelming odds. "Nothing will deter conflict more effectively than turning Taiwan into a hornet's nest of air, surface, and subsurface drones," he stated. The US, Taiwan's primary arms supplier, supports the island's military modernization efforts amid increased threats from China.

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Nothing will deter conflict more effectively than turning Taiwan into a hornet's nest of air, surface, and subsurface drones.

Despite the urgency, Taiwan's parliament recently approved only two-thirds of a US$40 billion defense spending request, earmarking funds solely for US arms. The government has since proposed a new NT$210 billion package for surveillance and unmanned drones. The main opposition party, the Kuomintang, has countered with its own legislation, proposing a NT$240 billion cap over six years and funding from the main budget instead of a special one.

President Lai Ching-te stressed the pressing need for drones on July 1, calling the development of asymmetric combat capabilities a "race against time" due to evolving geopolitical situations and modern warfare. Lai maintains that Taiwan's future can only be decided by its people, rejecting Beijing's sovereignty claims.

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Facing changes in the geopolitical situation and the evolution of modern warfare, building asymmetric combat capabilities is a national defence project that is a race against time.