Taiwan tests sea drones as China keeps up military pressure
TAIPEI
A Taiwanese-made sea drone capable of carrying bombs skimmed across waters off the island on Tuesday in a display of uncrewed surface vehicles that could boost its military firepower against China.
With Beijing sustaining military pressure on the island, Taiwan is increasing investment in aerial and maritime drones, which have been widely used in Russia's war in Ukraine to outfox traditional heavy weaponry.
China claims Taiwan is part of its territory and has threatened to use force to bring it under its control.
Twelve local and foreign companies took part in an Uncrewed Sea Vehicle (USV) demonstration hosted by the government's National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) in Yilan, southeast of Taipei.
It was an opportunity for "potential clients such as the military and coast guard" to collect data from the drone manufacturers for future mass production, the institute said in a statement.
Taiwanese shipbuilder Lungteh's Black Tide sea drone, which is designed to operate in "contested environments," was one of three USVs put through its paces.
With a top speed of more than 43 knots (80 kilometers per hour), the Black Tide can be used for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and "one-way strike," according to the company.
Meanwhile, Carbon-Based Technology Inc's "stealth" USV could carry bombs and was cheap enough to conduct "sacrificial" missions, said company director Stacy Yu after the drone was tested.
U.S. defense technology company Auterion also signed a deal with Taiwan for its "battle-tested" operating system and swarming technology to be used in a new generation of military drones.
While President Lai Ching-te has pledged to make Taiwan "the Asian hub" for drone production, there have been challenges to ramping up the island's output.
