Taiwan’s military has received 291 Altius-600M loitering munitions from US manufacturer Anduril Industries but discovered the drones were delivered without chargers, raising questions about the armed forces’ procurement and logistical processes. The issue was identified only after the delivery, prompting Taiwan to seek alternative charging solutions from the United States.
According to local reports, the omission stemmed from restrictions related to the drones’ original charging equipment, which contained components sourced from mainland China. This conflicted with Taiwan’s and the US’s “non-red” supply chain requirements, aimed at eliminating reliance on Chinese-made parts. Consequently, chargers were excluded from the initial Letter of Offer and Acceptance.
Ma Wen-chun, a legislator from the opposition Kuomintang party, criticized the military for failing to anticipate this fundamental logistical need prior to ordering the drones. Ma also questioned the decision to procure a disproportionately high number of spare batteries, noting that as expendable systems, the battery demands should have been carefully assessed during the procurement stage. In response, the Taiwan army stated that each Altius-600M drone was purchased with one installed battery and one spare, denying claims of excessive battery purchases.
The army further clarified that Anduril had developed a charger compliant with the “non-red” sourcing guidelines and assured that the equipment would be delivered according to schedule, though no specific timeline was provided. The drones arrived with fully charged batteries, meaning current operational readiness was not compromised.
Wang Ting-yu, a legislator from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, defended the procurement process, emphasizing the drones’ strategic value for anti-armor and anti-landing operations. Wang acknowledged the inability to use the original Chinese-made chargers but confirmed that Taiwanese and US officials had since established alternative supply sources for batteries and chargers. Additionally, battery production is expected to be localized in Taiwan through technology transfers to an undisclosed domestic company.
Shu Hsiao-huang, a researcher at the government-funded Institute for National Defence and Security Research, observed that the incident reflects the ongoing challenges in completely removing Chinese components from drone supply chains, underscoring the complexities faced even by the United States in this effort.
The controversy coincides with Taiwan’s recent expansion of its contract with Anduril. In late August, the Ministry of National Defense awarded a NT$26.9 billion (approximately HK$6.6 billion) deal for an additional 2,032 drones, including 1,554 Altius-700M anti-armor attack models and 478 Altius-600ISR surveillance drones, with deliveries scheduled through 2033.
Starting September 16, the Altius-600M drones are set to participate in a three-day joint live-fire exercise at the Jiupeng military testing site in southern Pingtung County. The exercise will also showcase other weapon systems, such as the US-made High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), Patriot air defense missiles, and Taiwan’s domestically developed Tien Kung and Hsiung Feng missiles.
The developments follow ongoing tensions in the Taiwan Strait, where Beijing considers Taiwan a breakaway province to be reunified with the mainland, by force if necessary. While most countries do not formally recognize Taiwan as an independent nation, the United States remains committed to providing defensive arms to Taipei and opposes any unilateral changes to the status quo by force.