TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology is working on a new loitering munition, Yeh Chia-fan (葉嘉範), director of the institute's Aeronautical Systems Research Division, said on Tuesday.

NCSIST is developing two types of munitions, CNA reported. The first type dubbed the “Taiwanese Switchblade,” has a control range of over 10 kilometers and a hover time of more than 15 minutes.

It is equipped with electro-optical/infrared sensors and high-explosive warheads and is easily carried and operated by soldiers. It is designed to target high-value and high-threat targets such as enemy personnel and vehicles. The Navy has placed orders for the loitering munition as final testing and verification of the first variant are ongoing.

The second type, still in development, has a multi-launch feature for swarm attacks and its launch compartments can be stacked and mounted on vehicles. The munition has day-and-night attack capabilities and can operate autonomously or be controlled by a soldier. Additionally, its propulsion system can run on gasoline or hybrid power. 

NCSIST is already mass-producing its Chien Hsiang anti-radiation loitering munitions at a rate of 48 per year. Taiwan will have nearly 200 of these drones by the end of next year.  

The munition has a range of up to 1,000 kilometers and comes in two models: targeting and attack. Batches of the kamikaze drone have already been delivered to the Air Force's Air Defense and Missile Command for operational deployment.