Sea drone makers compete in Taiwan for soaring investment

A Ghostwake uncrewed surface vessel, developed by U.S.-based STR8 Industries and manufactured in Taiwan, performs a high-speed maneuver during the Taiwan Marine Tech and Unmanned Robotics Expo in Tainan on Monday. | AFP-JIJI

Nov 3, 2026

Tainan, Taiwan – Silver-hulled sea drones skim across the water as part of an exhibition in Taiwan where local and foreign companies are competing for a share of surging government investment in uncrewed vehicles to deter China.

As Chinese military pressure increases, Taiwan is pouring billions of dollars into aerial and sea drones, which have been widely used in Russia’s war in Ukraine and in the Strait of Hormuz with devastating effect.

Taiwan’s military has said it wants to acquire more than 1,400 coastal surveillance and reconnaissance drones, over 200,000 coastal attack drones and 1,320 one-way attack uncrewed surface vessels (USVs).

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