Taiwan receives U.S.-made Altius loitering munitions

[william]

Taiwan has taken delivery of its first batch of U.S.-made Altius-600M purpose-built loitering munitions from defense firm Anduril Industries. According to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense, Minister Wellington Koo met on Tuesday with Anduril founder Palmer Luckey in Taipei following the drone handover.

Koo reaffirmed the Republic of China Armed Forces’ commitment to building what he described as “asymmetric and resilient” defense capabilities. The delivery of Altius-600M drones is part of a broader initiative to expand Taiwan’s ability to respond rapidly and flexibly to potential threats, particularly in scenarios where conventional force parity is not feasible.

The delivery comes despite escalating pressure from Beijing. In July 2024, China imposed sanctions on Anduril in response to the company’s participation in U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. The sanctions included visa bans on top executives, property freezes, and a prohibition on all business dealings within China, Hong Kong, and Macau.

In a direct response, Anduril issued a public statement saying, “Looks like we’re doing something right. We remain unwavering in our commitment to defending democracy across the globe.” The drone has previously been deployed by the U.S. military for ISR and strike roles and is valued for its portability, extended range, and modular payloads.

Taiwan receives U.S.-made Altius loitering munitions

Taiwan has taken delivery of its first batch of U.S.-made Altius-600M purpose-built loitering munitions from defense firm Anduril Industries. According to Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense, Minister Wellington Koo met on Tuesday with Anduril founder Palmer Luckey in Taipei following the...

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