Taiwan is rapidly enhancing its long-range strike capabilities through the deployment of a new class of low-cost unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This initiative comes as military planners seek affordable alternatives to expensive cruise missiles, while the United States strengthens cooperation with Taipei in drone technology and other emerging defence areas. The urgency for such developments intensified after Beijing displayed its latest uncrewed systems during its Victory Day parade in Tiananmen Square, featuring platforms that analysts say rival or exceed the destructive drones used in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
At the forefront of Taiwan’s efforts is its top defence research institution, the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST), which is working alongside the US defence company Kratos to transform its jet-powered MQM-178 Firejet target drone into a long-range loitering munition called the Chien Feng IV. The Firejet, previously used for missile defence training, is being adapted into a suicide drone capable of striking deep into mainland China. This collaboration was confirmed by Kratos’ Unmanned Systems Division president, Steve Fendley, in an interview with The War Zone, a US-based defence publication.
According to Taiwanese media reports citing unidentified sources at NCSIST, the suicide drone is expected to have a range of at least 1,000 kilometres, enabling Taiwan to target strategic sites including Beijing and Shanghai at a fraction of the cost of traditional cruise missiles. The system is slated to be unveiled at the Taipei Aerospace & Defence Technology Exhibition later this month, with further technical details expected to be released. The MQM-178 Firejet, originally designed to simulate subsonic aircraft and missile flight profiles for training purposes, is about 3.3 metres in length with a wingspan of 1.9 metres. It can fly at near Mach 0.7, climb to altitudes exceeding 10,000 metres, and carry payloads both internally and externally.
A related system, known as the Airwolf, utilizes the same airframe but is configured for tactical roles such as loitering, escorting missions, and acting as a “loyal wingman” for fighter aircraft. The Airwolf has a range of 400 nautical miles and can stay airborne for over an hour, with parachute recovery capabilities. Recent developments include partnerships with US start-ups like Shield AI to integrate artificial intelligence-powered autonomy suites, allowing drones to fly in formation and execute complex manoeuvres.
NCSIST has now added guidance systems and warheads to the MQM-178 derivative, transforming it from a training tool into an offensive weapon. Experts highlight the system’s scalability for mass deployment by using a combination of military and commercial components. Military commentator Erich Shih noted that while the performance of the Chien Feng IV may not match Taiwan’s larger Hsiung Feng IIE (HF-2E) cruise missiles, its affordability allows for wider deployment. He explained that a single HF-2E missile costs upwards of NT$100 million (approximately US$3.1 million), making it inefficient to expend on targets likely to be intercepted. The low-cost drones, by contrast, enable Taiwan to pursue a “high-low mix” strategy that pairs expensive cruise missiles with swarms of cheaper drones to saturate enemy defences.
This approach mirrors swarm tactics designed to overwhelm air defence systems that would otherwise rely on costly interceptors. Shih observed that high-end surface-to-air missiles capable of striking targets at extreme altitudes are prohibitively expensive, whereas deploying large numbers of inexpensive drones could strain the logistics and interception capacity of adversaries. He also suggested that any high-intensity phase of conflict across the Taiwan Strait might only last weeks, after which both sides would pause for regrouping. In this context, affordable drones offer a sustainable way to maintain pressure without depleting expensive missile stocks.
The strategic shift draws lessons from Ukraine’s use of low-cost drones to hit Russian logistics and oil facilities deep behind front lines. According to senior analyst Shu Hsiao-huang at the Institute for National Defence and Security Research (INDSR) in Taipei, Ukraine’s experience demonstrated how mass deployment of simplified systems can produce outsized strategic results. Drones with radar signatures and speeds comparable to cruise missiles, when paired with wireless guidance and modular payloads, are versatile enough to conduct precision strikes and a variety of other missions. Shu emphasized that modern weapons development increasingly focuses on modifying existing platforms rather than developing entirely new systems, citing Ukraine’s Flamingo cruise missile as a prominent example.
However, experts warn that suicide drones, like traditional missiles, are consumable assets that would require extensive production capabilities to meet wartime demand. Chi Tung-yun, an adjunct assistant professor at Taiwan’s Feng Chia University, stressed the need for improvements in guidance precision and warhead weight to ensure their battlefield effectiveness. He pointed out that Taiwan’s defence industry must expand its manufacturing base to sustain the potential high consumption rates in prolonged conflict scenarios.
Taiwan’s push for uncrewed strike systems coincides with deepening collaboration with the United States. A report by the Financial Times revealed that the Pentagon’s Defence Innovation Unit (DIU) would soon station a liaison officer at the American Institute in Taiwan to strengthen ties on drones, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and advanced materials. AIT director Raymond Greene noted the synergy between Taiwan’s manufacturing strengths and American innovation in software and system design, emphasizing that cooperation in these areas would enhance security, resilience, and prosperity for both nations.
The partnership extends to global defence start-ups. NCSIST signed a memorandum of understanding with Anduril, the maker of the Altius 600M anti-armour drone, to collaborate on AI-enabled command and control systems and other uncrewed platforms. Anduril’s new office in Taiwan will provide engineering support, supply chain management, and programme execution capabilities. Under a Foreign Military Sales contract with the US signed last year, Anduril is supplying 1,000 Altius-600M attack drones to Taiwan, with the first batch delivered earlier this year.
Experts argue that Taiwan must seize this moment to reduce its reliance on Chinese supply chains and expand local production. According to INDSR analyst Su Tzu-yun, Taiwan’s defence-industrial base will benefit from this partnership, especially as Washington seeks to decouple its supply chains from China. Meanwhile, Beijing has continued developing its own uncrewed systems, unveiling a wide array of drones, reconnaissance units, underwater combat platforms, and AI-powered counter-drone systems such as the LY-1 laser at its Victory Day parade.
Military commentator Lu De-yun warned that Taiwan’s drone efforts remain insufficient compared to the PLA’s massive investment in drone warfare. He stressed that drones must be treated as consumable munitions rather than durable assets and produced at scale to effectively weaken enemy defences. The parade showcased various robotic combat systems designed for urban warfare, underscoring the PLA’s focus on advanced drone tactics. Shu also highlighted Taiwan’s lack of investment in counter-drone technologies and the need for greater efforts to defend against potential attacks.
China’s longstanding stance on Taiwan as a breakaway province that must be reunited by force if necessary has fueled its military pressure since the pro-independence Democratic Progressive Party came to power in 2016. While most countries, including the United States, do not officially recognise Taiwan as an independent state, Washington remains committed to supporting Taiwan’s self-defence. The South China Morning Post noted that Taiwan’s growing drone programme, paired with US technological cooperation, reflects the island’s strategic adaptation to an increasingly contested security environment shaped by advanced military technologies and regional power competition.
