TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s National Chung Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) has begun mass-producing its newly developed Chien Hsiang anti-radiation loitering munitions, a military official said on Wednesday (Oct. 9).

NCSIST will make 48 loitering munitions per year, totaling nearly 200 by 2025, the official said. The munition has a range of up to 1,000 kilometers and comes in two models: targeting and attack, Liberty Times reported. 

The targeting variant is equipped with an electro-optical/infrared guidance system, enabling precise long-range strikes. The attack variant is fitted with a satellite-guided precision targeting system, capable of long-range strikes on high-value fixed targets, as well as moving targets. Both types of drones use high-explosive warheads to maximize their impact.

The official said batches of the kamikaze drone have already been delivered to the Air Force's Air Defense and Missile Command for operational deployment. Integrating the drones into the command's arsenal significantly enhances the command's flexibility in both offensive and defensive operations, they said.

NCSIST will seize all opportunities to join global supply chains, as the US seeks to diversify its supply sources away from China, Defense Minister Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said last week. The Ministry of National Defense said last week it welcomes any opportunity to build a partnership with the US in drone production, he added. 

Taiwan’s Defense Innovation Task Force, which was established in February, is developing underwater unmanned vehicles and other UAV-related systems. It also focuses on AI-assisted target recognition, autonomous navigation, cybersecurity, and communications.