Amid growing military threats from China, the Wall Street Journal recently interviewed Taiwan’s Minister of National Defense, Wellington Koo, revealing the military’s latest plans to establish dedicated drone units. The article also quoted analysis from a Policy Analyst at DSET.
Minister Koo said Taiwan will establish its first Army drone units and deploy sea drones to naval forces this year, as part of efforts to modernize its military and prepare for a potential Chinese invasion. The goal, he emphasized, is to develop deterrent forms of warfare that would force Beijing to weigh the high military costs of any potential aggression.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Taiwan’s military transformation partially draws on lessons from the war in Ukraine—particularly the effective use of agile, precision-based drones to offset conventional firepower disadvantages. However, Taiwan’s efforts to advance its drone capabilities are unfolding in the context of China’s dominance in the global drone market and its control over key component supply chains.
DSET policy analyst Cathy Fang was quoted as saying: “When it comes to firepower, we just can’t compete with China in terms of quantity. So we have to figure out how to strike in the most effective way possible. It’s a clear indicator of how asymmetric warfare works.”
Minister Koo also noted that the United States has provided relevant technical assistance to help Taiwan build its drone manufacturing capacity without relying on Chinese components. Raymond Greene, Deputy Director of the American Institute in Taiwan, recently affirmed, “We are working together to accelerate that process, including through expanding Taiwan’s ability to produce critical munitions and drones domestically.”
The decision to establish specialized drone units and integrate sea drones into the Navy’s amphibious forces marks the latest step in Taiwan’s strategy to develop asymmetric defense capabilities. “The idea,” Minister Koo explained, “is to use technology instead of manpower, and rely on firepower rather than traditional forces.”
The initiative to build a domestic drone force has become a cornerstone of Taiwan’s defense strategy in response to evolving modes of warfare and intensifying threats from the PRC. DSET will release a new policy report in June in the U.S.-Taiwan drone collaboration, based on in-depth interviews with key stakeholders across Taiwan’s drone supply chain. The report explores opportunities for bilateral cooperation in drone research, development, and production.
DSET will continue to monitor and analyze policy developments and international trends in Taiwan’s drone industry, providing evidence-based insights to inform both national policy formulation and industrial strategy.
