Taiwan has introduced two new indigenous drones and a wheeled tank prototype, signaling a bolder push toward self-reliant defense capabilities.
The reveal came in a Military News Agency video featuring a bomb-dropping multirotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a fixed-wing loitering munition, and the ‘D3’ 105mm wheeled tank.
Developed by the Armaments Bureau’s 202nd Plant in collaboration with private industry, the drones are built for asymmetric warfare, emphasizing rapid assembly, mass production, and cost-effectiveness.
The bomb-dropping UAV uses a multirotor platform to hover over targets and release larger munitions, with video footage showing it is equipped with external fuel tanks for extended range.
The catapult-launched loitering munition, meanwhile, detonates on impact, offering long-range strike capability. The footage showed it successfully destroyed a maritime target during a demonstration.
Both drone systems have passed full-system verification and are slated for phased upgrades to meet evolving tactical requirements.
New ‘D3’ Tank Prototype
The eight-wheeled D3 tank prototype features a 105mm low-recoil gun with a range of over 2 kilometers and the ability to penetrate 500mm of armor.
It can withstand 30mm armor-piercing rounds, reach speeds up to 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour), and travel 500 kilometers (311 miles) on a single load of fuel — enabling rapid redeployment through Taiwan’s road.
Costing 290 million New Taiwan dollars ($9.67 million), the D3 incorporates a lower profile, refined turret, and electrically controlled turret drive for greater firing precision.
Its standout feature is a hunter-killer system, similar to that on Taiwan’s M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks, that allows commanders to acquire new targets while gunners engage another.
Aside from the D3, the demonstration included a tactical reconnaissance wheeled vehicle equipped with a 12.7mm remote-controlled weapon station, smoke grenade launchers, and an electro-optical reconnaissance system.
