US to Supply Taiwan with Suicide Drones Amid Rising Tensions with China
The Pentagon has confirmed a 360 million dollar deal to supply Taiwan with advanced drones to counter threats from China. The deal includes 720 Switchblade 300 and 291 ALTIUS 600M drones. This is part of the Taiwan Relations Act, ensuring U.S. support for Taiwan’s self-defense.
The Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has confirmed that Taiwan will acquire 360 million dollars worth of U.S. drones to counter potential threats from China.
The deal, ratified by the U.S. State Department, includes 720 Switchblade 300 drones and 291 ALTIUS 600M drones.
The Switchblade 300, manufactured by AeroVironment, is a lightweight precision-guided missile that supports anti-personnel and anti-armor operations, costing approximately 60.2 million dollars.
The ALTIUS 600M, developed by Anduril, is multipurpose and can be launched from various platforms, estimated at 300 million dollars.
This transaction is part of the Taiwan Relations Act, requiring the U.S. to aid Taiwan in self-defense.
Recent military exercises by China near Taiwan highlight the necessity of such measures.
Taiwan’s defense ministry appreciates the continuous U.S. support despite prior delivery delays, while officials emphasize enhancing self-defense and asymmetric warfare capabilities.
Analysts suggest Taiwan’s strategic focus should be on developing asymmetrical weapon systems to better counter Chinese threats.