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3d ago

Taiwan Takes Delivery of US-Made Altius-600M Loitering Munitions

The push for Altius-600M acquisition highlights Taiwan’s reliance on U.S. partnerships to integrate autonomous loitering munitions into its asymmetric defense strategy.

Courtesy Photo
Image
A loitering munition is displayed at National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology in Taichung City, central Taiwan, on March 14, 2023.

Overview

  • Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense confirmed receipt of the first batch of Altius-600M drones on August 4, marking the start of field integration with the Republic of China Army.
  • The Altius-600M can loiter for four hours, travel 440 kilometers and launch from land, sea and air platforms while switching between scouting, strike and electronic-warfare roles.
  • Anduril Industries assumed financial risk to meet a six-month delivery timeline after the February 2025 contract, crediting close U.S.–Taiwan government and industry collaboration.
  • A new Anduril branch in Taipei is collaborating with the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology and local partners to establish sustained engineering and production capacity.
  • This delivery builds on a 2024 U.S. clearance for over 1,000 loitering munitions and reinforces Taiwan’s deterrence posture in the face of Chinese warnings over arms transfers.