Ministry of National Defense to Procure Man-Portable Anti-Drone Systems, Company-Level Units to Gain Multi-Drone Jamming Capability

(CNA reporters You Kai-xiang, Lai Yu-chen, Taipei, 30th) Major General Huang Wen-chi, Director of the Department of Strategic Planning, Ministry of National Defense, disclosed today at a post-Executive Yuan meeting press conference that China is a producer of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). To counter this threat, Taiwan will procure new man-portable anti-drone systems, upgrading from previous capabilities of jamming only a single UAV to being able to interfere with multiple UAVs simultaneously, thereby enabling company-level units to possess immediate counter-UAV capabilities. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ministry of National Defense today reported to the Executive Yuan meeting on "Current Status and Promotion Results of the UAV Industry" and "Execution Plan for the Special Act on Strengthening Defense Resilience and Asymmetric Warfare Capability Procurement (Special Defense Budget)." Regarding the 8-year, NT$1.25 trillion Executive Yuan version of the special defense budget, Huang Wen-chi emphasized in the post-meeting press conference brief that the four major aspects—command, control, communication, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR); efficient strike; defense resilience; and omnidirectional sensing—are all indispensable. In the integrated air defense component of efficient strike, Huang Wen-chi pointed out that a layered defense architecture (high, medium, low) will be established to jointly execute air defense, anti-ballistic missile, and anti-medium-to-large UAV missions, protecting important facilities, military targets, and civilian safety. He also disclosed the performance of the man-portable anti-drone systems to be procured by the military. Huang Wen-chi explained that multiple systems meet Taiwan's needs, and while past counter-UAV systems targeted "single" UAVs for jamming, the new type can jam "multiple" UAVs at once, thereby enabling company-level units to possess drone jamming capabilities. He emphasized that small UAVs are now very common, and especially since China is a producer of medium and small UAVs, this threat needs to be addressed immediately. Therefore, the procurement of man-portable anti-drone systems is very important. (Editor: Zhai Si-jia) 1150430