TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s first batch of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from the U.S. are set to arrive in 2026.

A spokesperson from the U.S. Air Force said in an email the four MQ-9Bs will be delivered in two batches. Two drones will be delivered in 2026 and the other two in 2027, reported CNA.

According to a press statement by the U.S. Department of Defense on March 12, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems was awarded a contract to produce four MQ-9B drones for Taiwan, including “two certifiable ground control stations, spares, and support equipment.” The project will be completed on Aug. 11, 2027, the department said.

Dubbed “SkyGuardian,” the MQ-9Bs can fly for more than 40 hours and deliver accurate reconnaissance data to operators, per General Atomics. The SkyGuardians’ maritime equivalent is the “SeaGuardian,” which has anti-submarine capabilities.

Senior fellow at think tank Cato Institute Eric Gomez said in a CNA interview that it’s likely that Taiwan purchased the SeaGuardian variant, citing a report from the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

“The MQ-9B unmanned aircraft can fly for long durations and operate at relatively high altitudes, making it very suitable for wide-area and persistent intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance,” he added.

The researcher said that Taiwan may use the MQ-9B for aerial or maritime reconnaissance during peacetime. This would help reduce the military’s reliance on fighter jets for surveillance, deal with PLA activities around Taiwan, and intrusions into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ).

However, Gomez noted that although the MQ-9B can be equipped with various weapon systems and has strong capabilities, it is not stealthy and is vulnerable to detection and interception at high altitudes.

“Especially in high-intensity conflict scenarios against the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), which has a robust air defense system, the MQ-9B’s survivability is not as good as other systems,” Gomez commented.