Explainer | How would Taiwan’s planned US$143 million defence system ward off drones from mainland China?
- The system developed by a major military research and development body aims to detect and jam small UAVs to protect essential facilities and the coast
- Many countries have focused on measures to tackle drones as they play a growing role in modern conflict
What is it and will it work?
The remote-controlled unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) defence system is being developed by the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST), the island’s major military research and development body, whose other products include Sky Bow air defence missiles and Hsiung Feng anti-ship missiles.
Meanwhile, the new weapons for which the Biden administration seeks congressional approval include 60 AGM-84L Harpoon Block II anti-ship missiles for US$355 million, 100 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder tactical air-to-air missiles for F-16s for US$85.6 million, and US$655.4 million for a surveillance radar contract extension.
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Detection and jamming
The anti-drone system has been designed primarily to detect and jam small UAVs.
An NCSIST introduction video highlights the drone’s search radar that can detect an encroaching UAV and identify it using a camera and frequency detection. When it is clear the intruder is an enemy drone, an electronic jamming system will disrupt its controls before a retrieval drone captures the invading UAV with a net.
This system could be used for “security defence, airport protection, coastal security protection and monitoring, border security protection, important facilities and incident protection, terrorist attack protection”, the NCSIST website said.
Taiwan’s defence ministry last week announced it had completed plans to establish the remote defence system “to deal with the incursion of civilian drones”, according to local media.
The ministry plans to deploy the system over the next four years at all bases, ports, and airports as well as on 45 offshore islands and isolated camps, high mountain platforms, missile positions and other important agile camps. The ministry said any drones invading those areas would be sought, found and disrupted.