TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan has signed an NT$26.9 billion (US$847 million) contract to acquire more than 2,000 US-made attack and reconnaissance drones as it expands its asymmetric capabilities.
The Ministry of National Defense announced the contract Thursday through the government’s electronic procurement system. It covers 1,554 Altius-700M loitering munitions and 478 Altius-600ISR reconnaissance drones, per Liberty Times. The systems are manufactured by US defense technology company Anduril Industries and are expected to be deployed primarily with Army units.
The contract covers the drones, associated systems, and launch equipment, while the overall US arms package, previously announced at about NT$34.9 billion, includes additional components. The signing of the Letter of Offer and Acceptance formalizes the purchase.
The Army previously acquired 291 basic Altius-600M drones through its regular budget, with the systems reportedly achieving a 100% hit rate in a recent live-fire maritime exercise, Liberty Times reported. The performance helped support plans to significantly expand the drone fleet through the special budget.
The Altius-700M is designed to strike targets such as heavy armored vehicles and air defense systems, per China Times. It can carry a 14- to 15-kilogram heavy warhead capable of destroying modern main battle tanks or fortified positions, with destructive power nearly equivalent to that of an AGM-114 Hellfire missile.
The Altius-600ISR is an unmanned aerial vehicle designed for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, including battlefield searches, target designation, and electronic warfare. With the same endurance as the Altius-600M, it can loiter over target areas for extended periods to conduct surveillance and support coordinated operations.
Initial deliveries of the new drones are expected to begin in the fourth quarter, with the full order scheduled for completion by June 2033, according to Liberty Times. The Ministry of National Defense said the acquisition will strengthen Taiwan’s defense resilience, while the Army has established a dedicated unit to develop unmanned systems and integrate them into its joint command structure.
