[Politics] First batch of MQ-9B High-Altitude Drones Arrives in Taiwan, Assembly Underway for Future Flight Tests
bellala 央廣2h ago
To enhance high-altitude surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, the Air Force has procured 4 MQ-9B high-altitude drones manufactured by General Atomics Systems from the United States. Informed sources revealed today (21st) that the first batch of MQ-9B drones has recently arrived in Taiwan and is currently being assembled and tested by the original manufacturer and the military. Flight tests will be conducted at a later date.
The Air Force has allocated a budget of NT$21.7 billion (from 2022 to 2029) to purchase 4 MQ-9B drones (including ground control stations and other auxiliary equipment) manufactured by General Atomics Systems. The delivery will be in batches of "2 units, 2 units" in 2026 and 2027. The first batch of 2 units was delivered in the US on March 17th, US time.
Regarding the arrival of the MQ-9B in Taiwan, informed sources stated today that the MQ-9B has arrived in Taiwan and is currently being assembled and tested by the original manufacturer and the military. Flight tests will be conducted at a later date.
The Air Force emphasized in its 2026 defense budget report that to monitor the movements of the PLA's forces and the air and sea dynamics around the Taiwan Strait, it is necessary to develop a drone system with long endurance and all-day/night surveillance capabilities, equipped with a real-time data link system to effectively capture images and transmit them back for analysis and use, meeting intelligence timeliness requirements. Furthermore, leveraging its long endurance and payload capacity for munitions, the high-altitude drone system can support combat operations and deter the enemy, disrupting the enemy's operational tempo and actions, thereby maximizing the effectiveness of defensive operations.
Su Tzu-yun, Director of the Strategic and Resource Research Institute at the think tank of the Ministry of National Defense, the National Defense Security Research Institute, stated that the MQ-9B is a highly mature integrated reconnaissance and strike drone. Technically, the aircraft has a maximum range of approximately 6,000 kilometers, with endurance varying depending on mission configuration, reaching up to 28 hours with a light load and about 14 hours with a full payload. Its maximum payload capacity is 1,700 kilograms. In addition to carrying various advanced sensors, it can also carry laser-guided bombs. The US military has even completed tests for mounting Sidewinder missiles.
Su Tzu-yun emphasized that the MQ-9B's role in Taiwan is to enhance battlefield reconnaissance capabilities, not as a primary offensive weapon, which differs from its operational context in battlefields like Iraq for the US military. For the Taiwan Strait, the MQ-9B can effectively perform high-risk tactical reconnaissance missions, especially during periods of frequent readiness. Facing gray-zone intrusions by PLA warships and coast guard vessels, it can provide all-weather monitoring, effectively filling the gap in maritime reconnaissance. For example, in 2016, the US used this series of drones to successfully obtain evidence of North Korea smuggling oil at sea.
Regarding whether the purchase of only 4 units by Taiwan is sufficient, Su Tzu-yun analyzed that a force structure of 4 units can only meet basic needs. It is speculated that it will operate on a basic cycle of "1 unit on duty, 1 unit on standby, 1 unit for training, and 1 unit for maintenance." In case of emergencies or during PLA military exercises or high-intensity gray-zone intrusions, a maximum of 3 units can be deployed simultaneously.
Su Tzu-yun pointed out that the deeper strategic benefit of procuring the MQ-9B lies in "international interoperability." As Taiwan operates top-tier equipment at the same level as the US military, intelligence from Taiwan's MQ-9B will likely be shared and interfaced in real-time with allied nations such as the US and Japan, thereby substantively deepening defense collaboration in the Indo-Pacific region.
Xie Pei-xue, a scholar at the National Defense Institute, previously analyzed in an article that real-time intelligence sharing through the MQ-9B's data link can also create opportunities for further cooperation between Taiwan and the US during wartime. For instance, in the early stages of a Taiwan Strait conflict, Washington might utilize Multi-Domain Task Forces or Marine Littoral Regiments to deploy small islands around Taiwan, such as Lanyu, Green Island, Dongsha, or even the Batan Islands in the Bashi Channel, as anti-ship missile sites to prevent PLA fleets from breaking through to the eastern waters of Taiwan for a blockade. Taiwan could then provide intelligence on PLA fleets to the US military through the MQ-9B. (Editor: Song Wanyuan)
Source Link: https://www.rti.org.tw/news?uid=3&pid=215747
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