《TAIPEI TIMES》Taiwan and US to jointly produce drone, source says

The Mighty Hornet I combat drone is pictured in a screen grab from a video. Screen grab from National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology’s YouTube channel

By Lo Tien-pin and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer

Taiwan and the US have agreed to jointly produce the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology （NCSIST）-developed Chien Feng I （勁蜂一型, Mighty Hornet I） drone, a high-level government official familiar with the matter said.

The Mighty Hornet I, which is in service with the Marine Corps, has passed live-fire tests, including being launched from fast-moving surface ships, the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Under the collaboration — which must still undergo a national security review and receive budget approval from the legislature — Taiwan and the US would jointly produce the attack drone, while the US would act as the representative for overseas sales, the source said.

The Mighty Hornet I can be launched from attack boats, uncrewed surface vehicles and ground-based vehicles, as well as from the institute-developed Albatross II （銳鳶二型） uncrewed aerial vehicle.

The Mighty Hornet I’s tactical utility and strategic flexibility make it an attractive system for militaries, the source said, adding that Taiwan aims to sell 500 to 1,000 drones, or about 10 to 50 systems.

The system includes the drone, a launcher, a tactical guidance tablet computer and a modular backpack, which allows soldiers to deploy more quickly while retaining tactical mobility, they said.

Taiwan’s defense manufacturing excels at small arms and munitions, but is shifting toward producing systems used in asymmetric combat, such as drones and missile modules, the source said.

Taiwan sold up to 500 million rounds of 5.56mm and 7.62mm ammunition to the US, while Taiwan’s T91 carbine is also in use by the Royal Jordanian Army and Kuwaiti forces, they said.

Taiwan-developed Hsiung Feng II （雄風二型, Brave Wind） anti-ship missiles have been sold to countries in Southeast Asia, and Taiwan is in talks with Middle Eastern countries operating the M60 main battle tanks about possible midlife upgrades involving Taiwan’s self-developed Laser Rangefinder and Thermal Imaging Fire Control System Kit, the source said.

All exported military specification systems and platforms comply with the Defense Industry Development Act （國防產業發展條例）, the military said, adding that it looks forward to deepening collaboration with the US and other international partners to jointly produce weapons in Taiwan.

The Armaments Bureau’s 205th Arsenal, well-known for producing small arms and munitions, has a production history dating back to the 1970s, when the Republic of China had a mutual defense treaty with the US, the source said.

Its predecessor, the Combined Logistics Command’s 44th Arsenal, had bet then-US Military Assistance Advisory Group head major general Livingston Taylor a bottle of whiskey that it could raise annual T57 rifle production from 6,000 to 15,000 rifles one year after the arsenal went into production, the source said.

It won the bet and the bottle of whiskey is still at the 205th Arsenal, they said.

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES