Taiwan's Military Plans NT$9.6 Billion Special Budget for 635 Portable Counter-Drone Systems

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Summary

To address the growing threat of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in the modern battlefield, Taiwan's military (ROC Armed Forces) recently announced a public review for a "Portable Counter-UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System) Project" on the government's e-procurement platform. The system's planned capabilities include passive detection, takeover, spoofing, and jamming. The current stage is for collecting feedback from bidders and the public; the official tender details will be announced later. The project is reportedly budgeted at NT$9.66 billion (approximately US$312 million) for 635 sets, funded by a special defense budget from 2026 to 2028.

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Short Commentary

This planned procurement clearly indicates that the ROC Armed Forces have prioritized counter-drone capabilities as a key focus for future defense. Drawing lessons from the Russia-Ukraine war, Taiwan's active investment in counter-UAS systems is necessary and will help fill gaps in its low-altitude air defense.

However, drone tactics are evolving rapidly, necessitating continuous updates to counter-drone technology. If the procurement process is too time-consuming, the equipment risks becoming obsolete before deployment. Therefore, a comprehensive plan—both in terms of institutional framework and domestic industrial supply chain support—appears necessary to ensure timely and effective deployment.