TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Biden administration said Friday (July 28) it will provide NT$10.9 billion (US$345) million in military aid to Taiwan from U.S. stockpiles.

The White House issued a memorandum saying the aid includes defense articles and services, as well as military education and training. It said the aid will use the presidential drawdown authority approved by Congress for US$1 billion in drawdown packages for Taiwan in the fiscal 2023 defense bill.

The announcement did not specify what weapons the U.S. will send to Taiwan. But two U.S. officials who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity said the package will have man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS), intelligence and surveillance capabilities, firearms, and missiles.

Pentagon spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Martin Meiners said at a press briefing in Brisbane, Australia, on Friday that the aid package "includes self-defense capabilities that Taiwan will be able to use to build to bolster deterrence now and in the future," VOA reported. He said the systems address "critical defensive stockpiles, multidomain awareness, anti-armor, and air defense capabilities."

Politico quoted a former DOD official familiar with the matter who spoke anonymously as saying the arms package will also include MQ-9 Reaper drones and small arms ammunition. Taiwan reportedly agreed to buy four MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones from the U.S. in May. The drones will be built by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc.