TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Pentagon is preparing to send US$567 million (NT$18.13 billion) in immediate security aid to Taiwan, reports said Saturday (Sept. 21).

According to Defense News, the US will ship the aid from its own stocks with the Pentagon having approved the package, which is now waiting for President Biden’s signature. Anonymous sources told the publication the president was likely to sign off on the package by the end of September, before the end of the current fiscal year.

The security items will include drones, anti-armor weapons, training, stockpiles, air defense, and “multi-domain awareness,” Defense News reported. The Pentagon allegedly planned a much smaller amount, but senior administration officials meeting during the summer pushed for larger numbers, leading to the US$567 million in aid.

The Department of Defense is also working on a third drawdown aid package for Taiwan, which is expected to be completed before Biden leaves office in January 2025, according to the report. 

In April, Congress approved US$1.9 billion to replenish arms stocks in the Indo-Pacific, with the largest share expected to benefit Taiwan. A US$1.4 billion package for Taiwan was approved during the summer, but never publicly revealed, Defense News reported.

The Pentagon added US$228 million in aircraft spare parts in an announcement on Sept. 16. The deal was the 16th arms sale by the US to Taiwan since the Biden administration took office in early 2021.