Key US Defense Partner Gets Drone Boost Against China Threat
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Taiwan has taken delivery of attack drones from its defense partner, the United States, as the self-governed island continues to face mounting military pressure from neighboring China.
China's Defense Ministry previously denounced Taiwan's procurement of U.S.-made arms, claiming that paying "protection fees" for American weapons is "useless and self-deceiving."
Newsweek has contacted the Chinese defense and foreign ministries for comment via email.
Why It Matters
The Chinese Communist Party has asserted sovereignty over Taiwan, claiming it as part of its territory despite never having governed the island. Xi Jinping, leader of the East Asian superpower, has vowed to pursue reunification by force if necessary, and his military has been preparing for such a scenario.
While the U.S. does not maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan, Washington is required by law—the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act—to provide Taipei with defensive arms to help it resist any attempt to resolve cross-strait differences by non-peaceful means.
Over the past year, Taiwan has received major weapon systems from the U.S. that enhance its ability to defend itself against a possible Chinese invasion, including the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), M1A2T tanks and Harpoon anti-ship missile systems.
What To Know
Taiwanese media reported on Wednesday—citing the island's defense minister, Wellington Koo—that the first batch of Altius-600M drones had arrived and were delivered to the military the previous day. The unmanned aerial vehicles are manufactured by Anduril Industries.
Anduril is deepening its commitment to Taiwan.
This week, we delivered our first tranche of Altius loitering munitions and supporting capabilities. Built at risk before the contract was signed.
This approach allowed delivery in just six months from contract signature, while… pic.twitter.com/QXbFI41sAD — Anduril Industries (@anduriltech) August 6, 2025
The Altius-600M is classified as a loitering munition—also known as a kamikaze drone or suicide drone. This new generation of drones is equipped with sensors, guidance systems and warheads, enabling them to locate, track, and engage targets with pinpoint accuracy.
The value of attack drones in warfare has been demonstrated throughout the Russia-Ukraine war, during which Ukrainian forces have launched drone strikes on high-value Russian targets. The U.S. military is overhauling its drone strategy to close the gap with its adversaries.
The Altius-600M is designed for surveillance and precision strike missions, offering double the loitering time and range of current market offerings, according to Anduril Industries. It can accommodate various seekers and warheads and can be launched from land, air or sea.
According to Taiwanese media, the Altius-600M has a range of 273 miles and can remain airborne for up to four hours. In June 2024, the U.S. State Department approved a $300 million sale of 291 of the drones to enhance Taiwan's ability to address current and future threats.
Palmer Luckey, founder of Anduril Industries, met with Taiwan's Defense Minister during a visit to the island on Tuesday. He announced the opening of a local office to support engineering, supply chain operations, and program execution across the Indo-Pacific region.
"We produced Altius at risk because Taiwan needs defense capabilities now, not years from now," Luckey said, vowing that his company is committed to supporting the island—and other U.S. allies—with the technology needed to deter aggression and preserve stability.
Altius said it began building the drones before a contract was signed, allowing delivery in just six months from contract signature, citing a $20 billion backlog in arms sales and years of delays experienced by Taiwan.
A loitering munition is displayed at National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology in Taichung City, central Taiwan, on March 14, 2023.
A loitering munition is displayed at National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology in Taichung City, central Taiwan, on March 14, 2023.
Chiang Ying-ying/AP Photo
What People Are Saying
Anduril Industries said in a press release on Tuesday: "Ensuring Taiwan can defend itself with asymmetric, combat-effective capabilities is critical to American interests. Taiwan is making historic investments in its own defense, including through acquisition of autonomous precision strike platforms such as Altius."
The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a press release in June 2024: "This proposed sale [of Altius-600M unmanned aerial vehicles] serves U.S. national, economic, and security interests by supporting the recipient's continuing efforts to modernize its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability."
Senior Colonel Jiang Bin, spokesperson for the Chinese Defense Ministry, said at a press briefing on July 14: "Resisting reunification by force is a dead end. War provocations made by the 'Taiwan independence' armed forces are futile, and will only lead to self-destruction."
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen whether Taiwan will place additional orders for American weapons, with U.S. officials warning that China could be capable of acting against Taiwan by 2027.
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