Taiwan has announced plans to produce 1,600 unmanned attack surface vessels (USV) to strengthen the country’s defenses in the Taiwan Strait.
A report by Taiwan’s Liberty News said that both the navy and the army have submitted requirements for the USVs – with the navy’s baseline calling for a top speed of at least 64 km. per hour and a range of at least 460 km.
The USVs should also be capable of autonomously identifying and navigating other vessels, possess swarm warfare capabilities, be equipped with optical/infrared modules, and be able to transmit intelligence and imagery up to 44 km.
The USVs should also be able to operate in Sea State 4 on the Beaufort scale, which means moderate seas with wave heights up to 2.5 meters.
According to a report in Taiwan News, the program will be funded by a special defense budget of 1.25 trillion New Taiwan dollars (approximately $39.8 billion).
The National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology is expected to be the prime contractor on the project. NCSIST has prior experience building USVs and has signed a cooperation agreement with the American USV company MARTAC.
MARTAC’s platforms have been deployed by the 59th Task Force of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, as well as in 20 countries around the world.
Lethal sea drones
With three-quarters of the Earth's surface covered by ocean, the sea has long been central to global trade, security, and power projection. Recent conflicts in Ukraine and in the Red Sea have accelerated the adoption of unmanned maritime systems because for many countries, the sea is the primary trade route. Any disruption can significantly increase costs and impact both national and global energy security.
The lethal effectiveness of USVs has been demonstrated in the Black Sea, where – since late 2022 – Ukraine has deployed remote-controlled speed boats packed with explosives to sink Russian frigates and minesweepers.
The Houthi rebels in Yemen have employed similar vessels against commercial shipping in the Red Sea.
These tactics have caught the attention of the Pentagon, which is incorporating lessons from Ukraine and the Red Sea into its plans to counter China's rising naval power in the Pacific.
Chinese expansion
The announcement of the USV program came as China carried out large-scale military drills encircling Taiwan, to simulate a blockade on the island nation.
The exercises, named Justice Mission 2025, saw China fire dozens of rockets toward Taiwan and deploy a large number of warships and aircraft near the island, in a show of force that drew concern from allies in the region and the West.
Taiwan's defense ministry on Wednesday said that 77 Chinese military aircraft and 25 navy and coast guard vessels had been operating around the island in the past 24 hours. Among them, 35 military planes had crossed the Taiwan Strait median line that separates the two sides, it added.
China claims that democratically governed Taiwan is its Chinese territory, and has not ruled out using force to bring it under Chinese control. Taiwan, which rejects China's claims, has condemned the latest drills as a threat to regional security and a blatant provocation.
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Thursday that the island was determined to defend its sovereignty and boost defense in the face of China's rising ambition for expansion.
Last year, Taiwan announced a special budget of $40 billion between 2026 and 2033 to procure advanced weaponry, including building an air defense system – the Taiwan Dome – based on Israel’s Iron Dome.
Two weeks ago, Washington announced a record $11.1 billion arms package that includes HIMARS rocket systems, anti-tank missiles, and loitering suicide drones.
“Facing China’s serious military ambitions, Taiwan has no time to wait,” the Taiwanese president said.
Reuters contributed to this report