US approves sale of ‘kamikaze drones’ to Taiwan

US approves sale of ‘kamikaze drones’ to Taiwan

2024-06-20

The U.S. government has approved the sale of two kinds of attack drone systems to Taiwan. The sale consists of over 1,100 Switchblade 300 Loitering Munition Systems and ALTIUS 600M-V Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. They are otherwise known as “kamikaze drones” and have been used on the Ukrainian battlefield. Delivery is expected by 2025.

Drones fly over a forest, accurately destroying targets via remote control. These are U.S.-made Switchblade 300 Loitering Munition Systems. Another drone model is the ALTIUS 600M-V Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. Both types of “kamikaze drones” have been used in the Ukrainian battlefield. Last month, reports said Taiwan made a request to purchase them from the U.S. Now the U.S. has approved the sale. Delivery is expected by 2025.

Su Tzu-yun
Institute for National Defense and Security Research
These American kamikaze drones have been in development for a long time. For example, they began to be deployed during the Gulf War. This is a technology that is close to being 32 years old. They can be effective as short-term immediate combat power.

This arms sale includes 720 sets of the Switchblades and related equipment for US$60.2 million, along with up to 291 sets of the ALTIUS 600M-V UAVs and related equipment for US$300 million. The total price tag is approximately NT$11.668 billion. It is Taiwan’s 15th arms sale by the Biden administration.

Joe Biden
U.S. president
I’ve always been willing to use force when required to protect our nation, our allies, our core interests.

In response to China’s threats to use force against Taiwan, the U.S. has once again approved an arms sale to help Taiwan defend itself.

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美國批准對台軍售2款攻擊式無人機最快今年交貨

2024-06-20

美國最新批准對台軍售兩款"攻擊式無人機飛彈系統"，又稱自殺式無人機，包括"彈簧刀300"和"ALTIUS 600M-V"兩款，合計最多1011套，兩款無人機都運用在烏克蘭戰場，預計2025年前就會交貨。

無人機飛越樹林，透過遠端遙控、精準摧毀目標。這是美製彈簧刀300攻擊型無人機，還有另一款ALTIUS 600，兩款自殺式無人機都應用在烏克蘭戰場。上月傳出我國向美方提出軍購要求，現在美國正式批准，2025年前就會交貨。

[[國防院戰略與資源所長蘇紫雲(5.10)]]
“美國這些自殺無人機，由於發展的時程比較長，比如在波灣戰爭中就已經開始，出現無人機使用，這已經是將近32年前的技術，就可以形成短期的即戰力可發揮效益。”

這批軍售包括720套彈簧刀300型遊盪攻擊飛彈系統及相關設備、約6020萬美元，還有最多291套ALTIUS 600M-V無人機及相關設備、約3億美元，兩筆合計總價約116億6800萬台幣，也是美國拜登總統任內第15度軍售。

[[美國總統拜登(5.29)]]
“我始終願意在必要時使用武力，保護我們的國家盟友和核心利益。”

因應中國頻頻武力威嚇，美國再通過軍售，助台防範自保。

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