Taiwan rapidly expanding drone fleet

台灣無人機機隊規模迅速擴大

Ministry of Defense procured nearly 1,000 UAVS this year


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Defense (MND) has acquired nearly 1,000 UAVs so far this year.

According to a legislative report, the ministry purchased 968 UAVs including attack drones, micro drones, and surveillance drones, Liberty Times reported.

Taiwan is procuring both military and civilian UAVs. Additionally, the defense ministry’s Armaments Bureau and the Ministry of Economic Affairs hold interagency meetings to integrate domestic resources and production capacity in order to achieve self-sufficiency while rapidly bolstering combat capabilities.

The MND plans to acquire five types of commercial-grade military UAVs by 2027, with an expected total of 3,231 units.

The National Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) recently announced combat assessments for the Tengyun II drone have been completed and mass production can begin soon. Taiwan is also set to receive four American SeaGuardian UAVs in 2026 and 2027.

NCSIST is already mass producing the Albatross UAV, adopted by the Navy, and the Cardinal drone, procured by the Army and Marine Corps.