Taiwan Showcases Locally Built Strike Drones in Annual War Exercise

Taiwan's navy deployed two medium-class strike drones on Saturday during the island's largest annual military exercise, with designs resembling loitering munitions that Ukraine has used against Russia, Matthew Loh reported for Business Insider.

Taiwan's navy showcased locally built fixed-wing strike drones during the Han Kuang military exercise. [Photo: 國防部 Ministry of National Defense, ROC(Taiwan) X]

The pair of fixed-wing, propeller-driven drones appeared during a littoral combat drill simulating an attack on Tsoying, on Taiwan's southwest coast. It was the first time the drones had been publicly displayed during the Han Kuang exercise,

Taiwan's annual military drills designed to prepare for a potential Chinese invasion.

As the drones loitered for about 30 minutes over the beach, Taiwanese military officials described them to reporters as "medium-size suicide drones" and said they were locally built.

Taiwan's National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology designs and manufactures much of the island's domestically developed weaponry.

"The drone used was provided by the Armament Bureau to the navy for testing purposes," a Taiwanese navy spokesperson told Business Insider.