TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's defense against China's drone incursions is taking shape as the Ministry of National Defense (MND, 國防部) plans to deploy 26 advanced counter-drone systems by the end of 2025. Announced in January, these systems will shield the vulnerable outlying islands of Kinmen (金門) and Matsu (馬祖), along with critical military installations across the nation.
The domestically engineered systems boast impressive capabilities, tracking over 300 drones simultaneously while conducting real-time threat assessments and countermeasures. Senior engineer Tsai Chung-hung (蔡忠紘), senior engineer at a counter-drone system company, explained that the technology can distinguish between harmless drones and those carrying explosives or weapons, automatically prioritizing the most dangerous threats.
Wang Yu-jiu (王毓駒), an executive at the same counter-drone system company, emphasized the strategic requirements driving the system's design: detection ranges exceeding 6 kilometers and countermeasure capabilities beyond 5 kilometers. These specifications are necessary to neutralize potential threats launched from Xiamen, China. The comprehensive defense network integrates active radar, passive radar, and jamming technologies to intercept hostile drones. Engineers are also developing more decisive "hard-kill" methods for future iterations of the system.
Beyond strengthening Taiwan's security posture, this technological initiative represents a vital growth sector for domestic industry. Taiwanese manufacturers now face the challenge of competing against established international defense contractors in this emerging market.