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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Technology

Taiwan President inspects drone program, highlights new attack drone

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • President Lai Ching-te visited the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology to review drone development.
  • The "Chien-Hsiang" anti-radiation drone has completed its first mass production batch and is operational with the Air Force.
  • The "Ching-Feng II" attack drone, derived from the "Chien-Hsiang," offers enhanced capabilities and lower costs, with plans for mass production and potential export.

President Lai Ching-te visited the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) on July 17 to inspect the progress of Taiwan's drone development. The visit focused on the "Chien-Hsiang" anti-radiation drone system and the upcoming "Ching-Feng" series.

The 'Chien-Hsiang' anti-radiation drone system's first mass production mission has concluded and has been fully delivered to the Air Force Air Defense and Missile Command for operational use.

— Military sourceDescribing the status and deployment of the 'Chien-Hsiang' drone.

The first batch of "Chien-Hsiang" drones, designed for anti-radiation missions, has been delivered to the Air Force's Air Defense and Missile Command and is operational. These drones were deployed during the Tianlong exercise in April, performing counter-blockade and enemy radar suppression missions. The initial production of 104 units has been expanded to approximately 200 due to its effectiveness.

Building on the "Chien-Hsiang" technology, NCSIST has developed the "Ching-Feng II" attack drone. This new model boasts significantly enhanced and more versatile capabilities, along with a substantial reduction in cost. Unlike the "Chien-Hsiang," which relies on detecting enemy radar signals, the "Ching-Feng II" utilizes a new electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) seeker, allowing operators to lock onto targets directly via real-time imagery.

The 'Ching-Feng II' attack drone, derived from the 'Chien-Hsiang,' has more powerful and versatile capabilities, and its cost has been significantly reduced.

— Military sourceHighlighting the advancements and cost-effectiveness of the new drone model.

This advanced targeting system enables the "Ching-Feng II" to conduct precision suicide attacks against high-value ground targets and moving naval vessels. Military sources indicate that the drone's design incorporates 3D printing for simplified manufacturing and may utilize common scooter engines to further reduce costs, making it suitable for mass production in modern asymmetric warfare scenarios.

The 'Ching-Feng II' has completely replaced the 'anti-radiation only' mission limitation. It uses a new 'electro-optical and infrared seeker (EO/IR),' allowing operators to directly lock onto targets through real-time images.

— Military sourceExplaining the key difference in targeting capabilities between the two drone models.

The "Ching-Feng II" has already garnered significant international attention from potential buyers at a recent drone exhibition in the United States. Successful export orders could further expand its production scale.

In terms of 'mass production cost' and 'economic feasibility,' the Ching-Feng II shows a much greater advantage than the Chien-Hsiang.

— Military sourceDiscussing the cost benefits and production potential of the 'Ching-Feng II' drone.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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