Taiwan has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Germany-based US firm Auterion to supply combat-proven drone software in Ukraine, Reuters reported. The aim is to strengthen the island's defense capabilities amid growing threats from China.
Auterion, whose technology is already used in Ukrainian drones for missions against Russian forces, said the partnership with Taiwan could lead to the system being deployed in millions of drones.
China views democratically-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory and has increased its military pressure in the past five years, including by conducting large-scale exercises. Taiwan categorically rejects Beijing's claims to sovereignty.
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Taiwan has been closely studying Kiev's tactics, including the use of air and sea drones to counter superior enemy forces. Taiwanese analysts believe that a similar approach can also be successfully applied against China's numerical superiority.
Auterion announced that it has signed an agreement with the National Institute of Science and Technology “Chun-Shan“ of the Ministry of Defense of Taiwan. The contract covers joint work on the development of unmanned systems and software for controlling drones.
“What we offer has been proven in real combat conditions in Ukraine - effective deterrence of aggression, destruction of tanks, naval targets and expensive equipment. By building a large autonomous fleet, Taiwan can deter China,“ said Auterion CEO Lorenz Meyer during a maritime drone exhibition organized by the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense in Suao Port.
Meyer added that the partnership is long-term and could lead to the production of millions of drones and the generation of hundreds of millions of dollars in value in the coming years.
Under pressure from the United States, Taiwan is accelerating the transformation of its armed forces towards an “asymmetric defense“ model that relies on mobile, cheaper but effective weapons such as drones and vehicle-mounted missiles.
The chairman of the “Chun-Shan” Institute, Lee Shi-chang, thanked the five foreign companies that participated in the exhibition and said:
“I guess you will soon be sanctioned by the Chinese government, but no be afraid - you have chosen the side of democracy.“
The exhibition also noted that Ukraine has used naval drones not only against ships of the Russian Black Sea Fleet, but also to shoot down aircraft - an example that Taiwan is carefully studying.