THE HALFAX HEIMDALL AUGUR

US Envoy Urges Taiwan to Build 'Hornet's Nest' Drone ... - EconoTimes Taiwan should rapidly expand its drone capabilities to strengthen deterrence against potential conflict with China, the top U.S. representative to the island said on Thursday, underscoring growing support for Taipei’s defense modernization efforts. Speaking at a drone industry forum in Taichung, Raymond Greene, director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), described unmanned systems as a critical element of Taiwan’s future security strategy. Although Washington and Taipei do not maintain formal diplomatic ties, the United States remains Taiwan’s largest arms supplier and strongest international supporter. Greene said drones offer a transformative opportunity to improve Taiwan’s defense while helping preserve stability across the Indo-Pacific region. He emphasized that cooperation between the United States and Taiwan could strengthen a democratic drone supply chain and reinforce collective deterrence among like-minded nations. Drawing lessons from the war in Ukraine, Greene noted that drones have enabled smaller forces to defend themselves effectively against much larger militaries. He argued that the stron…

Taiwan must pass defense spending to avoid giving wrong impression ... Taiwan President Lai Ching-te in Taipei in March. I-Hwa Cheng / AFP via Getty Images Share Add NBC News to Google Feb. 4, 2026, 4:17 AM EST / Source : Reuters By Reuters TAIPEI, Taiwan — If Taiwan 's opposition-controlled parliament continues to block $40 billion in proposed extra defense spending, the international community could misunderstand the island's determination to defend itself, President Lai Ching-te said Wednesday. Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content. Pressure from politicians in the United States, Chinese-claimed Taiwan's most important international backer and arms supplier despite a lack of formal diplomatic ties, has grown on parliament not to hold up defense spending. On Monday, U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, chairman of the Armed Services Committee and one of the strongest advocates for Taiwan in the U.S. Congress, wrote on X that he was "disappointed" to see Taiwan's opposition parties slash Lai's defense budget. At a meeting of his Democratic Progressive Party, Lai said that if the opposition continued blocking the plans and presse…

T-Dome: Taiwan's new shield against China's first strike Taiwan is racing to raise its own missile shield — a homegrown “T-Dome” defense network meant to keep the island fighting in the opening hours of war — as China masses new missile bases and hypersonic weapons along its coast. This month, multiple news outlets reported that Taiwan President Lai Ching-te announced plans to build a new multi-layered missile defense network, modeled after Israel’s Iron Dome, to shield the island from China’s mounting threats. In his National Day address, Lai said the T-Dome initiative — short for “Taiwan Dome” — will form part of a special defense budget to be proposed by year’s end and will raise defense spending beyond 3% of GDP, targeting 5% by 2030. The system aims to integrate high-level detection and interception capabilities, creating a nationwide “safety net” against missiles, drones and other Chinese aerial threats. Taiwan currently relies on US-made Patriot missiles and indigenous Sky Bow (Tien Kung) interceptors, and recently unveiled the Chiang-Kong system for mid-range ballistic defense. Lai emphasized that deterrence through strength is essential to maintaining peace, urging China …

As China looms, Taiwan makes more drones for defense and the US military Taiwan's drone spending plans for defense could also boost business overseas.

Taiwan needs ‘hornets’ nest’ of drones, says US diplomat TAICHUNG - ‌Taiwan needs a “hornets’ nest” of drones to help deter conflict and provide security, the top US diplomat to the democratically governed island said on Thursday.

Taiwan needs to become a ‘hornet’s nest’ of drones, US diplomat says De ​facto US ambassador Raymond Greene says drones represent a 'game-changing opportunity' to enhance Taiwan's security.

As China looms, Taiwan makes more drones for defense and the US ... Text settings Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only Learn more Minimize to nav Taiwan’s existence as a self-governing democracy may depend heavily on having enough military drones to discourage any attempted invasion by China’s military. As the Taiwanese government aims to boost domestic production of military drones and Taiwanese citizens sign up for drone flight training, Taiwanese companies are forming international partnerships to sell more drones to the US military and other overseas buyers. Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense proposed a special budget that would spend $6.6 billion over six years on buying drones made in Taiwan, according to the Central News Agency that represents the national news service of Taiwan. Presented on June 18, the budget proposal would allow the government to buy more than 208,000 coastal attack drones, along with more than 1,400 coastal reconnaissance drones and 1,320 uncrewed surface vessels, between 2026 and 2031. That would be a significant boost to the Taiwanese military arsenal that currently includes ju…

Why is Taiwan’s KMT calling for the government to spend billions more on drones? After rejecting a government spending package, Taiwan’s opposition Kuomintang (KMT) has submitted its own proposal worth several billion dollars more to boost the military’s unmanned vehicle capabilities and the island’s broader drone sector. The move reflects growing consensus across Taiwan’s political spectrum that unmanned systems will be central to the island’s defence in the future. Defending its decision to reject the government’s proposal for the sector, KMT officials on Monday said the...

U.S. approves over $11 billion arms sale to Taiwan as tensions simmer The U.S. on Thursday approved $11.15 billion in arms sale to Taiwan, reportedly its largest deal to the island as it faces growing threats from China and has been a subject of diplomatic tensions between Beijing and Tokyo. The move drew a sharp response from Beijing, with its foreign affairs spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, accusing the U.S. of violating the "one-China principle." "By aiding Taiwan's independence through arms sales, the U.S. will only end up harming itself. Any attempt to use Taiwan to contain China is doomed to fail," Guo said, according to a CNBC translation of his speech in Mandarin. TheTaiwanese defense ministry saidthe sale — comprising artillery systems, antitank missiles, as well as spare parts for helicopters and antiship missiles — falls under the$40 billion supplementary defense budgetannounced by President Lai Ching-te in November. Lai last month vowed to build up Taiwan's self-defense capabilities in the face of growing threats from Beijing, seeking to achieve a high level of combat readiness by 2027. He also warned that China was aiming to seize the island by 2027. Lai cautioned of an…

US diplomat wants to turn Taiwan into hornets nest of drones RT.com03 Jul 2026, 06:17 GMT+ Washingtons de-facto envoy to the island pushed for democratic UAV production as deterrence against Beijing The top US diplomat in Taiwan has called for turning the self-administered Chinese island into a "hornet's nest" of air, surface and subsurface drones, as Washington continues to expand military cooperation with Taipei despite repeated warnings from Beijing. The US does not formally recognize Taiwan as a sovereign state but remains its main military backer and arms supplier, and maintains diplomatic ties through a quasi-embassy, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT). Its director, Raymond Greene, claimed on Thursday that drones represented a "game-changing opportunity" to strengthen Taiwan's security and bolster what he described as a "broader deterrence posture." "The US and Taiwan can anchor 'democratic' drone production and strengthen the collective deterrence posture of the free world," Greene said at a drone forum in the central city of Taichung. "Fortunately for Taiwan, drones have significantly boosted defenders, even when facing overwhelming odds," he added, citing the Uk…

US envoy says Taiwan needs 'hornet's nest' of drones ... - ThePrint Home World US envoy says Taiwan needs ‘hornet’s nest’ of drones to deter conflict World US envoy says Taiwan needs ‘hornet’s nest’ of drones to deter conflict Washington has strongly backed the Taiwan government’s military modernisation plan and increased defence spending. Reuters 02 July, 2026 09:00 am IST Facebook Twitter WhatsApp Linkedin Director of the American Institute in Taiwan Raymond Greene speaks at a reception celebrating the upcoming U.S. Independence Day, in Taipei, Taiwan May 27,2026. REUTERS/Ann Wang Follow Us : Text Size: A- A+ TAICHUNG: Taiwan needs a “hornet’s nest” of drones to help deter conflict and provide security, the top U.S. diplomat to the democratically governed island said on Thursday. The U.S., Taiwan’s most important international backer and arms supplier despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties, has strongly backed the government’s military modernisation plan and increased defence spending. Taiwan says it needs to bolster its defences in the face of a stepped-up threat from China, which views the island as its own territory. Show Full Article Speaking at a forum on drones in the …

KMT's Cheng talks defense, energy with US lawmakers - Taipei Times UPGRADE:The Kang Ding-class frigate is replacing its Chaparall missiles with Tien Chien II and Hua Yang VLS, which would provide it with long-range, 360° air defense Taiwan plans to produce 1,200 to 1,376 Hai Chien II missiles (海劍二, Sea Sword II) — also known as TC-2N — to serve as the standard air defense system of the navy’s surface combatant fleet, a source said yesterday. Last week, the Hai Chien II, the naval version of the Tien Kung II missile (天劍二, Sky Sword II), completed a live-fire test in waters off the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology’s Jiupeng facility (九鵬) in Pingtung County’s Manjhou Township (滿州). The MIM72 Chaparral and other dated air defense missiles that currently arm Taiwanese ships have inadequate range to combat Chinese Shih Hsin University President Chen Ching-he (陳清河) yesterday issued a public apology for comments made in his commencement speech last week, stating that he has asked the school to suspend his duties and halt his wages for two months as a show of contrition. At the commencement ceremony on May 30, Chen said, “If you…

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US de facto envoy calls for Taiwan to become "hornet's nest" of drones ... Soldiers move past a self-propelled howitzer during a military live-fire shooting training in Taichung City, Taiwan, on June 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying) TAIPEI (Kyodo) -- Raymond Greene, the top U.S. representative in Taiwan, on Thursday called for the island to be turned into a "hornet's nest" of drones, saying it is the most effective way for the self-governing territory to deter conflict amid mounting military pressure from mainland China. "Nothing will deter conflict more effectively than turning Taiwan into a hornet's nest of air, surface, and subsurface drones," Greene told a forum on the drone industry held in Taichung, adding "it will provide security for Taiwan and the region for years to come." The United States and Taiwan can anchor drone production, reduce supply chain vulnerabilities and strengthen the democratic world's collective deterrence posture, said the head of the American Institute in Taiwan's Taipei office. "We are already in a golden age of U.S.-Taiwan partnership in the AI and semiconductor sectors. But with drones -- along with the broader ecosystem of uncrewed systems, em…