Taiwan signs $870 million deal for advanced US drones

Taiwan's defense capabilities are set for a major enhancement with the formal announcement of a substantial procurement of U.S.-made drones. The Ministry of National Defense revealed a deal valued at NT$26.9 billion (approximately $870 million USD) for advanced unmanned aerial systems from American defense tech startup Anduril.

The acquisition includes the "ALTIUS-700M anti-armor attack" and "ALTIUS-600ISR intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance" drone systems. The order comprises over 2,000 drones, signaling a concrete move towards Taiwan's objective of establishing an asymmetric "drone swarm hunting" capability.

Specifically, the procurement consists of 1,554 ALTIUS-700M attack drones and 478 ALTIUS-600ISR reconnaissance drones, slated for deployment with Army units. While a previous U.S. announcement indicated a broader package worth around $1.1 billion USD, the NT$26.9 billion figure confirmed on Taiwan's government electronic procurement network represents the core contract for the drone bodies and launch platforms.

Both drone models boast formidable capabilities. The ALTIUS-700M, described as a new type of loitering munition, is a heavy-duty anti-armor drone weighing 29.5 kilograms. Despite a reduced two-hour flight endurance due to its payload, it can carry a substantial anti-armor explosive warhead designed to precisely destroy enemy main battle tanks, armored vehicles, and fortified positions beyond the visual line of sight.

Complementing the attack drone is the ALTIUS-600ISR, serving as the "eyes in the sky" for the battlefield. It offers an extended flight endurance of 3.5 to 4 hours, dedicated to performing intelligence reconnaissance and precise target acquisition at the front lines. Together, the 700M and 600ISR form a "detect-and-strike" kill chain.

Taiwan's Army had previously acquired 291 units of the basic ALTIUS-600M model through its regular budget. These drones achieved a remarkable 100% hit rate during recent live-fire exercises at sea, a performance that evidently spurred this significant additional investment. Analysts suggest that drone swarms are an economical and effective asymmetric weapon for Taiwan to counter potential landing threats, enabling ground troops to launch swarms directly from single soldiers or Humvee platforms during an enemy landing phase, thereby creating significant deterrence and enemy attrition effects.

Delivery of these advanced drones is expected to begin in the fourth quarter of this year, with the full completion of the delivery schedule extending to June 2033. The Ministry of National Defense emphasized that this acquisition of drone missile systems, valued at NT$26.9 billion, will comprehensively build national defense resilience in response to urgent cross-strait threats. The Army has established a dedicated unit for unmanned vehicle systems development to accelerate the formulation of operational doctrines and live-fire verification, ensuring the seamless integration of advanced U.S. technology into Taiwan's joint operational command system for national security.