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Taiwan's Legislative Yuan Approves NT$240 Billion Budget for Unmanned Systems Development

Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan passed a NT$240 billion (US$7.3 billion) six-year budget for the procurement and development of unmanned systems. The bill, which focuses on developing Taiwan’s domestic drone industry, was passed on August 27 and will take effect in 2027. While the original Cabinet bill requested specific procurement numbers, the opposition Kuomintang’s version prioritized domestic industry growth and established an annual spending cap of NT$40 billion. To bolster asymmetric warfare capabilities, the National Defense Ministry of Taiwan also secured a contract with the United States to purchase 2,032 unmanned aerial systems from Anduril Industries. This package includes 1,554 Altius-700M heavy strike drones and 478 Altius-600ISR reconnaissance drones. These systems are designed to improve Taiwan's defense self-sufficiency and reduce reliance on imports. The new budget and contracts provide substantial funding for the development of Taiwan’s defense industry, ensuring the island can continue to manufacture drones during potential war or blockades.

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