Based on information reported by several local media outlets, Taiwan’s Armed Forces will move forward with the acquisition of a significant number of U.S.-made ALTIUS loitering munitions, after the Ministry of National Defense confirmed for the first time the quantities planned within the new special defense budget. The initiative is framed within Taipei’s efforts to strengthen its deterrence and asymmetric defense capabilities amid China’s growing military activity.
According to what emerged during a classified meeting held in recent hours at the Legislative Yuan, Defense Minister Wellington Koo detailed that Taiwan plans to acquire 1,554 ALTIUS-700M systems for attacks against armored targets, along with 478 ALTIUS-600ISR systems intended for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) tasks. This marks the first time that concrete figures linked to the sale of ALTIUS unmanned systems—authorized by the U.S. Department of State in December 2025—have been made public.
The purchase is part of the USD 39.6 billion special defense budget, designed to accelerate the modernization of the island’s military capabilities. Within this framework, loitering munitions occupy a central role as part of an asymmetric capability acquisition strategy that prioritizes systems with relatively low cost, high mobility, and significant lethality against any superior force.
In addition, the acquisition of the ALTIUS systems is directly linked to the authorization granted by Washington late last year, when the U.S. government approved an arms sale to Taiwan valued at approximately USD 1.1 billion, which included thousands of loitering munitions from the ALTIUS-600 and ALTIUS-700 families. That decision was presented by the U.S. administration as part of its policy to support the island’s defense capabilities, although it prompted a subsequent reaction from China.
In this context, it should be noted that the decision to move forward with this purchase is part of a much broader trend within Taiwan’s armed forces toward the adoption of non-conventional warfare capabilities, aimed at defending against any invasion or blockade scenario. This also adds to the sustained increase in investments Taiwan has been making in drones, precision-guided missiles, anti-ship systems, and air defense.
Finally, it should not be overlooked that Taiwan’s Armed Forces have already incorporated this type of loitering munition into their inventory. These systems were received in mid-2025, following an operation that had previously been authorized and approved by the United States in June 2024.
Photographs used for illustrative purposes.
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