Taiwan plans $930 million sea drone buildout to counter China pressure

Taiwan plans to spend $930 million expanding its fleet of unmanned vessels, drawing on both homegrown and US technology. The goal is to give the island more eyes and more teeth on the water as maritime pressure from China keeps building. What Taiwan is actually building The centerpiece is a growing fleet of unmanned surface vessels, or USVs. Taiwan wants these vessels to handle two jobs: surveillance and strike. The initiative leans on a hybrid model. Taiwan’s own shipbuilding expertise supplies the hulls and the industrial base, while advanced US technology fills in key software and hardware. As of September 30, 2026, Taiwan had made notable progress in folding those US systems into its maritime defense setup. A big part of the mission is protecting the outlying islands, including Kinmen and Matsu. Those islands sit far from Taiwan’s main island, which makes them harder to defend with traditional assets alone. In July 2026, Taiwan announced plans to procure 25 USVs and 2 underwater drones. Prototype testing for that batch is targeted for early 2027. The bigger budget picture Taiwan’s budget includes up to NT$210 billion (~US$6.6 billion) over five to six years for developing unman...