Fwd from @. Taiwan drone spending
Fwd from @
Taiwan drone spending
Will increase with opposition-backed law
Taiwan's authorities wanted to secure additional funding for UAV purchases, but the opposition kept cutting it. Now the opposition is preparing a new bill that unexpectedly increased drone spending.
It's expected that instead of $6.59 billion for UAV procurement, the amount will be slightly over $7.5 billion. But instead of a special budget, funds will be allocated annually — $1.3 billion per year.
According to the bill, the Defense Ministry will be able to purchase drones abroad, but any UAV purchase exceeding $3.1 million will require a written report to parliament. The document also tightens domestic production requirements: initially, at least 50% of components produced in Taiwan must be used, and then the localization share should increase to over 80%.
The proposal will require the Defense Ministry to establish three training grounds for military and civilian drones. The armed forces and private companies will be able to jointly conduct flight tests, test electronic warfare protection, and test strike UAV applications.
Some industry manufacturers have already stated they would prefer a separate budget to this alternative to immediately secure long-term contracts. However, given how strong the opposition is in parliament, the proposal can be considered already accepted, though the final version of the bill will be slightly adjusted.
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