Taiwan deploys first army drone squads as China's Jiu Tian drone swarm tactic ups the ante

Drone file image

Taiwan is accelerating the modernisation of its military with cutting-edge drone technology, debuting its very first army drone units this year and set to add sea drones to its fleet, Defence Minister Wellington Koo explained in an interview. The initiative is a strategic pivot toward asymmetric warfare—embracing technology, precision, and nimbleness to counter China's vastly larger military, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The decision to convert tank and artillery battalions into drone units is one of the steps in a more comprehensive plan to prepare for what Taipei views as likely Chinese invasion within three years. "It would be best if China wakes up every day feeling like 'today's just not the day to invade,'" Koo said.

A regional arms race with drones at the centre

The move follows China's ongoing expansion and development of its own drone technology—most recently in the form of the Jiu Tian system, a powerful platform allegedly capable of launching more than 100 drones in one deployment. Capable of overwhelming enemy air defences with mass coordination, Jiu Tian is a breakthrough in Chinese unmanned aerial warfare.

Experts see the system as designed to saturate and overload hostile air defences at the start of a conflict—especially in a Taiwan situation. The difference is stark: China's strategy is based on mass and coordination, whereas Taiwan is spending on precision and targeted disruption.

"The Jiu Tian capability is a serious threat," according to Cathy Fang, a defence analyst at the Taiwanese think tank DSET. "But Taiwan's response is to employ drones strategically—not in large numbers, but to cause maximum disruption using smaller, high-impact units."

US-supported efforts to produce indigenous drones

Over the past few years, Taiwan has aggressively developed domestic drones to cut dependence on Chinese parts. The government is set to buy more than 3,200 drones from domestic firms over the next five years, primarily for surveillance. In the last year, Taiwan manufactured 10,000 drones, and that figure is expected to spike dramatically.

To ramp up this build-up, the United States is taking an active role in helping Taiwan expand its drone production capacity. "The United States and Taiwan are on the same page about the significance of Taiwan maintaining its secure supply of comparable asymmetric systems," declared Raymond Greene, the de facto US ambassador to Taipei. Taiwan-American collaboration involves transferring technology, integrating AI, and establishing a China-free secure supply chain.

"The US has certainly been giving us strong support in this respect," Koo asserted. "This may be in terms of some technology…being transferred to us, enabling local private companies to take on production."

A new generation of warfare

The Defense Ministry has already started deploying drones in Taiwan's training and reconnaissance missions. A special military drone school opened last year is training troops in operating drones. "The concept is using technology instead of human forces and depending on firepower instead of regular troops," Koo said.

Aside from reconnaissance, Taiwan is also building sea drones for naval and amphibious warfare. The unmanned vehicles are meant to upgrade surveillance and strike capability in island waters—an area where Chinese naval action has significantly risen.

The military is also expanding the application of the US-sourced HIMARS rocket systems with two additional company-sized units to improve Taiwan's long-range precision-strike capability.

Regional alliances and strategic deterrence

Koo stressed that Taiwan's defence strategy is not just technology-dependent but also depends on geopolitical synergy. "Japanese and Philippine support… are important," he noted, citing the so-called "first island chain" of US allies surrounding China. "Such collective deterrence will make China think about the military hardship and the heavy military expense in invading Taiwan.”

The transformation of defence is being monitored closely in Beijing. While Taiwan President Lai Ching-te had taken a conciliatory note during a recent anniversary address, Beijing brushed aside his overtures. "This two-faced move is nothing new, a waste of effort, and bound to fail," a Chinese government spokesman declared.

The coming battle of drone doctrines

Taiwan's shift toward asymmetric warfare represents a clear departure from conventional force composition. It is a counter to China's sheer numerical superiority and technological breakthroughs such as *Jiu Tian*. In that competition, speed, innovation, and accuracy might beat out sheer numbers.

"Taiwan simply can't match China on quantity," Fang said. "But asymmetric tactics—utilising drones, HIMARS, and naval assets—can make an invasion much more expensive and unpredictable."

Whether Taiwan’s modernisation efforts will be enough to deter conflict remains to be seen. But the message from Taipei is clear: while China may have the drone swarm, Taiwan is building a smart, resilient counterstrike force—quietly preparing for the day it hopes never comes.