MND: Domestic Unmanned Vehicle Procurement to Strengthen Supply Chain and National Defense

The Executive Yuan approved the draft "Special Act for the Procurement of Domestically Produced Unmanned Vehicles" today, outlining a plan to acquire coastal surveillance drones, coastal attack drones, and small suicide unmanned boats. The Ministry of National Defense (MND) stated that this initiative will ensure the military maintains asymmetric deterrence while stimulating the domestic economy through the unmanned vehicle industry chain.

The draft act proposes a special budget with a ceiling of NT$210 billion, spanning from August 1, 2024, to December 31, 2031. This multi-year plan focuses on coastal surveillance and attack capabilities. Major General Weng Yu-heng of the MND's Strategic Planning Department explained that this act addresses a capability gap created when a previous special budget was reduced, specifically affecting unmanned combat capabilities.

By prioritizing domestic production and an "iteration-based" procurement principle, the MND aims to build a "non-red supply chain." This strategy is expected to benefit diverse sectors, including vehicle manufacturing, battery systems, optoelectronic sensors, AI, and software development. Beyond military utility, the unmanned vehicle sector is designated as a strategic industry to drive domestic economic growth.

Regarding other advanced weaponry, such as the Strong Bow missile system which was not included in this specific act, Director of Strategic Planning Huang Wen-chi noted that these projects might be funded through supplementary budgets later this year or integrated into future annual budgets starting in 2027, depending on their execution readiness.