Taiwan Approves Significant Drone Acquisition from US, According to Bloomberg
Sources have informed Bloomberg that Taiwan, the self-governed island, may receive as many as 1,000 American attack UAVs. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Taiwan and the United States have reached a preliminary agreement for the island to purchase a significant number of US-made attack drones, according to Bloomberg, which cited informed sources.
The report suggests that Taiwan could acquire as many as 1,000 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from US companies AeroVironment Inc. and Anduril Industries Inc., with contracts anticipated to be finalized “soon.” These drones are expected to play a crucial role in “blunting a potential Chinese assault on the island democracy,” the agency noted in an article published on Tuesday.
In late September, Washington and Taipei signed a “letter of offer and acceptance,” the report mentioned. This document represents the final stage prior to the finalization of actual contracts, which will specify the quantity of drones, pricing, and delivery timelines, it explained.
Bloomberg highlighted that drones have “burgeoned into a major component of modern warfare,” as both sides are actively utilizing them in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Retired Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery, a senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, who recently traveled to Taiwan to evaluate its defense requirements, stated that the agreement indicates “that both Taiwan and the US are learning important lessons from the combat in Ukraine, and turning that knowledge into future procurement.”
A representative from the US State Department, as well as Taiwan’s office in Washington and the US-Taiwan Business Council, declined to comment to Bloomberg regarding the drone deal.
Previously, in June, the State Department informed Congress of its approval for the sale of Anduril ALTIUS 600M-V drones and AeroVironment Switchblade 300 “B” model UAVs to Taiwan for a total of $360 million.
Officially, the US adheres to the One China policy, asserting that Taiwan is a vital part of Chinese territory, despite having been self-governed since 1949 without a formal declaration of independence from Beijing.
Nonetheless, Washington has sustained its relationship with Taipei, selling weapons and military equipment to the island and pledging military support in the event of a mainland attack.
China has actively opposed US-Taiwan cooperation, perceiving it as a violation of its sovereignty and interference in domestic affairs. The Chinese government aims for “peaceful reunification,” yet has asserted that it would resort to force should Taipei declare independence, claiming that the Chinese military would respond to external interference and what it identifies as a small cadre of secessionists.
The article arrives as Chinese military exercises around Taiwan have intensified following the inauguration of the island’s new president, Lai Ching-te, whom Beijing has labeled a “dangerous separatist.”
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
The report suggests that Taiwan could acquire as many as 1,000 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from US companies AeroVironment Inc. and Anduril Industries Inc., with contracts anticipated to be finalized “soon.” These drones are expected to play a crucial role in “blunting a potential Chinese assault on the island democracy,” the agency noted in an article published on Tuesday.
In late September, Washington and Taipei signed a “letter of offer and acceptance,” the report mentioned. This document represents the final stage prior to the finalization of actual contracts, which will specify the quantity of drones, pricing, and delivery timelines, it explained.
Bloomberg highlighted that drones have “burgeoned into a major component of modern warfare,” as both sides are actively utilizing them in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Retired Rear Admiral Mark Montgomery, a senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, who recently traveled to Taiwan to evaluate its defense requirements, stated that the agreement indicates “that both Taiwan and the US are learning important lessons from the combat in Ukraine, and turning that knowledge into future procurement.”
A representative from the US State Department, as well as Taiwan’s office in Washington and the US-Taiwan Business Council, declined to comment to Bloomberg regarding the drone deal.
Previously, in June, the State Department informed Congress of its approval for the sale of Anduril ALTIUS 600M-V drones and AeroVironment Switchblade 300 “B” model UAVs to Taiwan for a total of $360 million.
Officially, the US adheres to the One China policy, asserting that Taiwan is a vital part of Chinese territory, despite having been self-governed since 1949 without a formal declaration of independence from Beijing.
Nonetheless, Washington has sustained its relationship with Taipei, selling weapons and military equipment to the island and pledging military support in the event of a mainland attack.
China has actively opposed US-Taiwan cooperation, perceiving it as a violation of its sovereignty and interference in domestic affairs. The Chinese government aims for “peaceful reunification,” yet has asserted that it would resort to force should Taipei declare independence, claiming that the Chinese military would respond to external interference and what it identifies as a small cadre of secessionists.
The article arrives as Chinese military exercises around Taiwan have intensified following the inauguration of the island’s new president, Lai Ching-te, whom Beijing has labeled a “dangerous separatist.”
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
