national defense missions 結果共7筆

The U.S. House passed the NDAA, allocating $1 billion for Taiwan’s defense. The bill, aligning with Trump’s agenda, now heads to the Senate for approval.

YILAN (TVBS News) — Carbon-Based Technology Inc. (碳基科技) recently unveiled its unmanned surface vehicle (USV) in the waters off Suao (蘇澳), northern Taiwan. The sea drone aims to support an asymmetric warfare strategy currently being developed by Taiwan. Despite encountering a remote control power system issue that rendered it inoperable during performance tests, conducted under the escort of a National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST, 中科院) workboat, this incident highlights ongoing challenges for Taiwan in accelerating the development of unmanned vehicles for military use as it seeks to enhance its innovative and powerful aid forces. Professor Lin Wei-chi (林威志) from Taipei University of Marine Technology (TUMT, 台北海洋科技大學) emphasized the vessel’s innovative design, which allows it to transition between peacetime and wartime roles. The ship can transport resources to remote islands or conduct patrols in Taiwan’s waters, including port detection and environmental oversight. Regarding military applications, such a USV can deter and attack enemies and be commissioned for various missions. However, Taiwan still needs to address several issues, including geographical references in the Taiwan Strait and technical limitations. Lin noted that large waves caused water leakage during the demonstration, which may have affected electronic components on board. Vice President Li Kang-si (李康嗣) of Carbon-Based Technology confirmed that although communication power remained stable, the wave conditions hindered the vessel’s activation, leading to a delay in further tests. According to reports, the island-nation has approximately 1,000 UAVs in service, which is significantly smaller than China’s fleet, especially considering that Beijing is a leading producer of unmanned drones. The scale of the UAV industry is also restricted in Taiwan. According to the Wall Street Journal, Taiwan plans to purchase 3,200 USVs, most of which are small. On one hand, Taiwan’s civilian company is expected to deliver 3,000 drones to the authorities by the end of 2025; however, it is essential to involve larger companies in the supply chain. Amid these challenges, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND, 國防部) plans to enhance its asymmetric warfare capabilities by proposing a special budget later this year. Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng (顧立雄) underscored the significance of unmanned vehicles, including drones and vessels, in bolstering defense resilience. He also announced that the ministry will suggest a special budget to reinforce asymmetric warfare forces, following the so-called “Hellscape” coined by the Commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Samuel Paparo. Uncrewed vehicles have become a prominent trend among nations, with their efficiency particularly evident during the Ukraine-Russia War. In October 2022, Ukraine deployed at least seven naval drones to attack the port of Sevastopol, where Russia’s Black Sea Fleet is stationed in its protected harbor. The assault resulted in damage to one frigate and several other vessels, though no warships were sunk. A month ago, Ukraine successfully employed a USV to shoot down a Russian Su-30 aircraft. This effectiveness has encouraged various nations to invest in the development of unmanned vehicles. Currently, the U.S. has over 10,000 UAVs in service, while its navy plans to expand the integration of a hybrid fleet with USVs. Regarding Taiwan, the authorities are fully committed to the effort of keeping pace in this race against time by all means. Earlier this month, Taiwan unveiled its domestically produced suicide drone developed by Thunder Tiger Group, a civilian company; another firm presented a remotely operated underwater vehicle in collaboration with the military; and Taiwan CSBC Corporation (台船) showcased its USVs capable of withstanding harsh conditions in Taiwanese waters, equipped with combat capabilities, back in March. Additionally, the Taiwan government has acquired 680 Switchblade 300 drones, 291 ALTIUS 600 M-V units from the U.S., and 4 MQ-9B drones, which are expected to arrive in 2026 and 2027, respectively. The global landscape of unmanned military vehicles has seen significant advancements, as evidenced by Ukraine’s deployment of unmanned ships during its conflict with Russia. In response to China’s military pressure, Taiwan must address the dual challenge posed by its geography and technical limitations while enhancing its development speed to achieve a flexible asymmetric warfare strategy.

Taiwan’s Minister of National Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng outlines the military’s drone strategy to the Legislative Yuan, focusing on combat differentiation and future training plans. The Defense Ministry’s report details the deployment of drones across various operational levels for reconnaissance, surveillance, and battlefield tasks. President-elect Lai Ching-te’s visit to a local UAV R&D center underscores Taiwan’s commitment to drone development.

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) Army Command Headquarters announces the extension of compulsory service to one year. Newly enlisted soldiers will undergo an eight-week training in recruit centers throughout northern, central, and southern Taiwan. The training program consists of four phases, focusing on core military values, physical fitness, combat skills, rifle shooting, and combat coaching. The final assessment includes physical combat skills, rifle shooting proficiency, and comprehensive combat coaching.

The Ministry of National Defense in Taipei showcased its drug prevention program’s accomplishments, emphasizing the effectiveness of its narcotics detection dog teams. Since December last year, 18 additional dogs have been added to these teams, allowing regions across Taiwan to request their services for drug-sniffing operations within military camps. According to government regulations, these service dogs typically serve for four years, with the possibility of an extension to seven years. Since 2020, three narcotics-detection canines have completed their service term, with replacements already trained and deployed. The defense ministry conducted 467 drug-sniffing missions within military bases this year through mobilization, camp applications, and operational zone assignments. Additionally, over 1.13 million urine screenings have been conducted among military personnel, with positive results leading to prosecutions and the removal of implicated individuals from service.

Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) has successfully delivered four Brave Eagle advanced jet trainer aircraft to the Air Force base in Taitung, completing their annual contract goal of 17 aircraft. Despite media skepticism, AIDC managed to deliver five aircraft within the remaining month, overcoming challenges caused by the global pandemic. The quartet of Brave Eagles underwent rigorous testing and validation by the Air Force before leaving AIDC’s factory. AIDC’s procurement team negotiated with international suppliers to secure critical parts, ensuring the aircraft’s timely delivery. AIDC’s commitment to national defense missions and emphasis on safety and quality were highlighted by Chairman Hu and General Manager Ma. The Brave Eagle is a significant achievement in Taiwan’s defense autonomy, and AIDC plans to continue delivering aircraft on schedule next year to enhance the nation’s defensive capabilities.

Taiwan’s National Armed Forces (RDRC) detected the ballistic motion and trajectory of a Chinese satellite rocket through its Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems. The rocket was launched from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in Sichuan Province and passed over the southwestern airspace of Taiwan. The Ministry of National Defense (MND) reported that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) conducted several satellite launch missions in recent days, but they posed no threat to Taiwan as they occurred outside the Earth’s atmosphere.