TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan has received the first two MQ-9B SkyGuardian high-altitude surveillance drones purchased from the US, marking a significant enhancement of the country's intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities.
Taiwan's Air Force has begun assembling and testing the two drones, manufactured by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. Taiwan allocated NT$21.7 billion (US$685.5 million) in 2020 to purchase four MQ-9B drones, along with ground control stations and related support equipment, per CNA.
Taiwan took receipt of the first two drones in the US on March 17, while the remaining two are scheduled for delivery in 2027. The Air Force said the acquisition addresses the need for long-endurance, all-weather surveillance drones capable of transmitting real-time intelligence on Chinese military movements and air and maritime activities around Taiwan.
Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), director of the Division of Defense Strategy and Resources at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said the MQ-9B is a technologically mature reconnaissance and strike drone. He said it has a range of approximately 6,000 km and can remain airborne for up to 28 hours with a light payload, or about 14 hours with a full payload of up to 1,700 kg of equipment and weapons.
In addition to advanced surveillance sensors, the aircraft can carry laser-guided bombs, and the US military has tested the platform with Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. Su said the drone's primary role in Taiwan will be battlefield reconnaissance rather than offensive strike missions, distinguishing its use from US operations in conflict zones such as Iraq.
Su said the aircraft could also help monitor gray-zone incursions by Chinese naval and coast guard vessels, filling gaps in Taiwan's maritime surveillance network. He cited a 2016 US operation in which drones from the same family were used to detect evidence of North Korean oil smuggling at sea, per the report.
He said a fleet of four drones would satisfy Taiwan's basic operational requirements. Under normal conditions, one drone would be deployed, one kept on standby, one used for training, and one undergoing maintenance. During periods of intensified gray-zone activity, as many as three drones could be deployed simultaneously.
According to Su, one of the most significant strategic benefits is interoperability with allied militaries. Thus, MQ-9B can integrate and share information with allies such as the US and Japan, strengthening security cooperation across the Indo-Pacific region.
