TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — US defense company Anduril has assessed that Taiwan could establish a supply chain for low-cost loitering munition in 18 months.
Anduril is collaborating with the defense ministry to showcase several systems in the unmanned platforms pavilion at the Taipei Aerospace & Defense Exhibition, which opened on Thursday at the Nangang Exhibition Center, per CNA.
The National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology signed contracts with US companies and subsidiaries, including Anduril, Airshare, Leonardo DRS, AeroVironment, MARTAC, and Northrop Grumman. These included the Low-Cost Autonomous Cruise Missile (loitering munition), the Dive-LD autonomous underwater vehicle, and the Copperhead autonomous mobile mine.
The joint focus is loitering munition, designed for mass production, swarming attacks, and low-cost deployment. An air-launched version is undergoing Phase 3 testing with the US Air Force, while Taiwan plans to produce a ground-launched version locally.
By swapping out the guidance seeker, the missile could strike both land and naval targets. The project remains in the research and development phase. Loitering munitions are a type of aerial weapon system that combines features of drones and missiles.
NCSIST President Li Shih-chiang (李世強) said Thursday the goal is to cut costs by establishing a Taiwan-based supply chain within 18 months. “If the unit price exceeds NT$6.5 million (US$214,000), it means the mission has failed,” he said.
NCSIST Vice President Chien Ting-hua (簡定華) said that Anduril evaluated three Asian countries: Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan. The firm determined that Taiwan’s production capacity and NCSIST’s capabilities make the 18-month goal feasible, compared to South Korea’s 24 months.
NCSIST also signed procurement contracts with Anduril for the Dive-LD and Copperhead systems. The Dive-LD is Taiwan’s first autonomous underwater vehicle, with a 10-day endurance for seabed mapping, environmental monitoring, cable inspections, and anti-smuggling operations.
The Copperhead can exceed 30 knots (56 kph) and perform anti-port and anti-submarine missions. With autonomous navigation and decision-making, it can identify and pursue hostile targets.
