As China looms, Taiwan makes more drones for defense and the US military

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense proposed a special budget of $6.6 billion over six years, starting in 2026, to significantly increase its domestic drone production and acquisition. This initiative aims to bolster Taiwan's defense capabilities against potential invasion by China. The proposed budget includes plans to purchase over 208,000 coastal attack drones, more than 1,400 coastal reconnaissance drones, and 1,320 uncrewed surface vessels by 2031. This represents a substantial expansion from the current arsenal, which reportedly comprises only 5,000 US-made attack drones and a smaller number of domestically produced drones. Recent military exercises in early June showcased the integration of US-made Altius-600 loitering munition drones, produced by Anduril Industries, fired from towed launchers. Earlier this year, Taiwanese Marines also demonstrated the use of indigenous drones for maritime strike exercises. Beyond domestic defense, Taiwanese companies are actively pursuing international partnerships to export drones to the US military and other overseas markets, highlighting a dual focus on national security and global defense sales.