TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Thunder Tiger recently debuted its SeaShark 600 Stealth, a six-meter-class unmanned surface vessel, ahead of next week's Taipei International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition.
The company said it has secured an order for 1,300 USVs from the Ministry of National Defense, which are equipped with inboard and outboard maneuvering systems featuring an ultra-flat, low-profile design. The USV is also adept at obstacle avoidance and has group coordination capabilities to ensure mission flexibility and operational safety, per CNA
Thunder Tiger said the USV has a maximum payload of 300 to 600 kg and can flexibly switch between reconnaissance and suicide attack modes. It can also be rapidly deployed from the coastline, container transport, or a mothership.
Also, the next-generation, SeaShark 800, has already passed a testing event hosted by the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology off the coast of Yilan's Suao in June.
Thunder Tiger said its USVs utilize a satellite communication system supported by Chunghwa Telecom and OneWeb from the UK, changing frequencies amongst several ground stations to form a reliable communication network for guidance and control, even in environments with strong electromagnetic interference.
Regarding the hull structure, the company said the USV is made from aluminum alloy similar to that of Tesla vehicles. This reduces the weight of the hull by 50% compared to traditional fiberglass-reinforced plastic materials, improving fuel efficiency and maneuverability.
The USV has a maximum speed of 50 knots (93 kmh) and a range of over 350 kilometers, meeting the demands of high-intensity combat. Thunder Tiger said it collaborated with US defense technology companies to optimize USV design based on actual combat requirements.
