Taiwan’s defense industry turns to unmanned boatsーNHK WORLD-JAPAN NEWS
Strong maritime defenses make a lot of sense when you are surrounded by water. And to counter China’s relentless military pressure, Taiwan’s military and private sectors are floating some Nobel. The latest innovations in defense were on show recently in Taipei. About 500 companies from more than 10 countries took part. Unmanned boats drew a lot of attention. This one is made by a local firm. A major Taiwanese chip builder is also entering what has become a rapidly advancing part of the defense industry. The company typically makes large vessels and submarines for the Navy and Coast Guard. But workers have recently been throwing their energy into this unmanned boat. It’s 8.6 6 m long and with a top speed of 65 km per hour, it moves at quite a clip. What’s more, it fires torpedoes and holds explosives for ramming enemy ships. This is the control room. We can operate the unmanned boat from here. It’s operated remotely. Large areas off the ocean can be monitored simultaneously. The vehicle is relatively inexpensive without sacrificing performance. Highly maneuverable unmanned boats could quickly detect attacks, making them useful in the face of China’s formidable military might. Company officials see a golden opportunity. They’ve earmarked about $580 million to produce 1,300 unmanned boats. Taiwan’s increased military budget is good for defense related industries like ours. I am confident we can increase our profits. Workers at this Taiwanese drone maker are also turning their attention to the sea and they’re getting help from a university. The unmanned boat they’re developing is about 2 m long, also with a top speed of about 65 km per hour. It can transport supplies, do reconnaissance, or even become a weapon. The team has equipped the vessel with a high performance camera. It harnesses AI for automated tracking. Collaborations like this are a win-win situation. The firm can reduce development time and costs, and the university can improve its own human resources. Ship design requires knowledge of materials and fluid dynamics. Taiwan is short of people in these areas, so this is an opportunity for students to deepen their expertise. The team has even established a chin-free supply chain with 80% of the boats parts made in Taiwan. We’ll comply with government policies and our research and development and manufacturing. We want to create the best drones and unmanned boats. More people in Taiwan are recognizing the maritime threat on their doorstep. And they no longer see defense as simply the government’s domain.
Taiwan’s military and private sectors are floating some novel ideas in the push for improved maritime defenses.
More stories on Taiwan: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/tags/124/
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