TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Selection and training of officers to operate four MQ-9B drones to be procured from the United States has started, Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) said Wednesday (March 23).
The U.S. announced in 2020 that it was providing the SeaGuardian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), along with related equipment and training, in a package valued at NT$21.7 billion (US$760 million). The drones are slated to arrive in Taiwan in 2025, CNA reported.
Ministry of National Defense officials told legislators Wednesday that the selection process for officers to be trained in operating the UAVs has begun. The group is scheduled to be sent to the U.S. for training in 2024.
The military also recently confirmed that it had requested datalink equipment for the drones to import information into a joint command-and-control system, allowing for a comprehensive overview of all ongoing operations.
As to locally made drones, each branch of the military is working on its own projects, the military said. The Navy is training a total of 36 people to manage its drones, the report said.