Taiwan Urges Passage of NT$210 Billion Drone Bill as Koo Warns NT$40 Billion Cap Falls Short
Updated
Updated · Focus Taiwan · Aug 3
Taiwan Urges Passage of NT$210 Billion Drone Bill as Koo Warns NT$40 Billion Cap Falls Short
1 articles · Updated · Focus Taiwan · Aug 3
Summary
NT$210 billion over six years is what the Cabinet's unmanned-systems bill would authorize, and Defense Minister Wellington Koo urged the opposition-controlled legislature to back it.
Koo said the plan covers air, surface, land and underwater systems, plus testing facilities and industrial support, making the Kuomintang's NT$40 billion annual-budget cap too restrictive.
MQ-9B procurement could be affected if funding is squeezed, he said, arguing fast-changing drone technology requires more flexible financing than fixed yearly allocations.
Portable counter-drone systems are also planned for military units because using Patriot missiles against drones is impractical; 30mm chain guns are currently the more mature option.
Taiwan's wider air-defense buildup still centers on a layered system against missiles, aircraft, rockets and drones, with Koo saying U.S. military cooperation is broader than publicly visible.