Taiwan Secures New US Drones Amid Ongoing Defense Upgrades

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense announced Sunday that Deputy Defense Minister Hsu Szu-chien  (徐斯儉)  attended a handover ceremony in the United States on March 17 for the Republic of China Air Force's first two MQ-9B high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles. Defense Minister Wellington Koo (顧立雄) confirmed Monday that the first batch of these advanced drones is expected to arrive in Taiwan in the third quarter of this year.

The defense ministry previously stated that the acquisition of four MQ-9B aircraft from the U.S. was initiated in response to assessed regional threats and urgent national security requirements. Under the current schedule, two drones are slated for delivery in 2026, with the remaining two arriving in 2027. The drones are expected to significantly enhance the island's reconnaissance capabilities. （Related： CPC's Price Shield Is Cracking — and the Strait of Hormuz Offers No Relief ｜ Latest ）

Appearing before the Legislative Yuan on Monday, Koo also addressed domestic media reports alleging that the Army's 8th Corps had lost nearly 8,000 spent casings for 5.56 mm ammunition. The minister clarified that an inspection uncovered a discrepancy between the physical inventory of empty casings on hand and the military's accounting records, stressing that no actual shortage of live ammunition was found.

To address the issue, the ministry will conduct a thorough investigation into the bookkeeping discrepancy and has requested the involvement of prosecutors and investigators. Koo assured lawmakers that further details would be provided to the public once the investigation yields more information.

During his legislative appearance, Kuo also testified before the Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee to review a special arms procurement bill. He explained that his goal was to outline the completeness and necessity of the Executive Yuan's version of the legislation. Describing the proposal as the most comprehensive option available, Koo expressed hope that lawmakers across party lines would actively negotiate toward a consensus, while reiterating his preference that the defense ministry's version receive broad legislative support.  （Related： CPC's Price Shield Is Cracking — and the Strait of Hormuz Offers No Relief ｜ Latest ）