Key facts
- Taiwan's military conducted its first joint combat drill with multiple attack drones.
- President Lai Ching-te stated the drills demonstrate adaptation to modern warfare.
- The drills included Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missiles and HIMARS rockets.
- Anduril founder Palmer Luckey said a delay in US arms sales to Taiwan is affecting his company's business.
- Luckey stated he has discussed the arms sales delay with Donald Trump, JD Vance, and Marco Rubio.
Taiwan's military conducted its first joint combat exercise incorporating multiple types of attack drones, a move President Lai Ching-te said demonstrates the armed forces' adaptation to modern warfare. The drills, held in the south of the island, also included the use of domestically developed Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missiles and US-made HIMARS rockets.
Lai, who has made defense modernization a key part of his agenda amid rising threats from China, oversaw the exercises. He stated that precision firing exercises are crucial for testing weapon effectiveness and that the coordinated use of unmanned vehicles with conventional weapons reflects adaptation to modern warfare. The presidential office provided images of missiles but did not specify the types of drones used during the three-day drills.
Drones have become central to combat operations in conflicts such as the war in Ukraine and in the Middle East, and Taiwan is keen to learn lessons from these for its contingency planning. Lai added that the military is accelerating its combat capabilities to show Taiwan's confidence and capability to defend its national sovereignty and contribute to regional peace and stability.
Separately, US defense tech firm Anduril's founder Palmer Luckey said on Saturday that President Donald Trump's delay in approving a $14 billion arms sales package to Taiwan is affecting his company's business. Luckey stated he has discussed the issue with Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, noting that the delay has a broader, longer-lasting impact on forward progress in other areas. China has repeatedly urged the US to stop selling weapons to Taiwan.