Taipei demonstration 結果共4筆

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.

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