Taiwan expects to receive US attack drones by 2030

The Taiwanese government has announced that the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) has been selected as the winner of a weapons procurement package that includes two types of US attack drones, expected to be delivered by 2030.

According to notices from the island’s defense ministry posted on the Government e-Procurement System website, the bids were for two fleets of attack drones targeting “personnel” and “armament” for NT$1.74 billion (US$54 million) or NT$3.53 billion, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The personnel attack drones are the sale of 720 Switchblade 300 attack drones to Taiwan, which the US Defense and Security Agency (DSCA) notified Congress on June 18 and whose contract expires November 30, 2029 runs.

Meanwhile, the armor attack drones refer to the sale of 291 ALTIUS 600M-Vs to Taiwan, which was also notified to Congress on June 18 and whose contract expires on December 31, 2027.

Taiwan’s army previously said drones had become standard equipment in modernized forces and were a key part of “asymmetric” strategies.

Manufactured by AeroVironment, the Switchblade 300 can carry an explosive payload of 3.7 pounds and has a flight range of 30 kilometers and a stay time of 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, the ALTIUS 600M-V manufactured by Anduril Industries can be used as a loitering munition and as a reconnaissance drone or communications relay. It is equipped with electro-optical/infrared cameras for target acquisition and has a longer range (440 kilometers) and flight duration (up to four hours) than the Switchblade.

The AIT functions as the de facto US embassy in Taiwan when diplomatic relations do not exist.

News.Az