Off the small fishing port of Wushi on Taiwan’s Pacific coast, a Taiwanese company is testing a potential new asset for the island’s defense strategy: sea drones. These uncrewed, remotely controlled vessels, which carry explosives, have already been successfully used by Ukraine in the Black Sea against Russian forces. Taiwan is now looking to adapt this technology as a low-cost, effective defense option against any potential Chinese invasion.
Taiwan is shifting its military focus towards “asymmetric warfare,” which aims to use smaller, mobile, and cost-effective weapons to deliver a targeted impact. Encouraged by the United States, Taiwan has been working on developing uncrewed vehicles, such as sea drones, that can strike high-value targets without the need for expensive traditional warfare tools.
“Uncrewed vehicles, whether on water or underwater, played a significant role in the war in Ukraine,” said Chen Kuan-ting, a lawmaker from Taiwan’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and member of the foreign affairs and defense committee. “These vehicles can effectively deter China because Taiwan is on the defensive, not the attacking side.”
The National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, Taiwan’s defense research arm, has named its sea drone initiative the “Swift and Sudden” project. With a current budget of T$800 million ($26.77 million), the program is poised for future expansion. Taiwan’s Defense Minister, Wellington Koo, revealed that sea drones will feature in an additional funding package to be announced later this year.
Sea Drones: A Weapon of Surprise
The SeaShark 800, a sea drone developed by Thunder Tiger, can carry 1,200 kg (2,600 lbs) of explosives and travel up to 500 km (310 miles). The company’s chairman, William Chen, explained that these drones could provide Taiwan with an element of surprise in the event of conflict. “We can create uncertainty. We can fill the Taiwan Strait with danger and risks,” he said, emphasizing that the drones could surface unexpectedly and disrupt enemy movements.
Next week, Thunder Tiger and 11 other Taiwanese and foreign companies will showcase their unmanned surface vehicles in an exhibition near Wushi, organized by Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense. Among the companies participating are Taiwan’s Lungteh Shipbuilding and U.S. military shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries.
Rupert Hammond-Chambers, president of the U.S.-Taiwan Business Council, noted that the focus on drones is a top priority for both Taiwan and the United States, especially as the Ukraine conflict has underscored the importance of innovative, unmanned military technology.
Strategic Shift Amid Rising Tensions
Taiwan’s military is significantly smaller than China’s, which boasts a powerful fleet, including aircraft carriers and ballistic missile submarines. Despite this, Taiwan is exploring unconventional ways to level the playing field, drawing lessons from Ukraine’s use of drones to counteract Russia’s military advantages. Taiwan has already enlisted commercial drone companies, including Thunder Tiger, to support its efforts.
China has ramped up military pressure on Taiwan in recent years, staging multiple rounds of war games and continuing its claim over the democratically governed island. Taiwan’s government, however, rejects Beijing’s sovereignty assertions.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Taiwan has closely studied Ukraine’s success in deploying drones and has incorporated those lessons into its defense strategy. The use of sea drones to target ships and even down aircraft, as demonstrated by Ukraine, is one of the tactics Taiwan aims to replicate.
Taiwan’s navy is significantly outmatched by China’s, but drones offer an opportunity for Taiwan to counterbalance the advantage. However, experts warn that while Taiwan can build world-class sea drones, the true challenge lies in integrating these weapons effectively into its broader defense strategy.
Peter Chen, a drone expert at Taiwan’s TTRDA security think tank, emphasized the importance of government and military collaboration. “Private companies can make top-notch drones, but the real question is how to integrate these weapons into a well-thought-out battle strategy,” he said.
