Taiwan to buy nearly 50,000 domestic drones to enhance asymmetric warfare capability

​​​​​​​By Saadet Gokce

ISTANBUL (AA) - Taiwan announced Wednesday that it plans to buy nearly 50,000 domestically grown drones in two years to enhance its asymmetric warfare capability, according to Focus Taiwan, citing a tender notice from the government.

Taipei wants to buy 48,750 drones -- 11,270 drones next year and 37,480 in 2027, from a five-category selection of Type A - Type E.

The models will feature multi-rotor vertical take-off and landing systems as well as categories with fixed-wing models, with flight durations ranging from 7 minutes to 2.5 hours.

The notice said only domestically made drones are eligible and the country is required not to contain any made-in China components. Chinese companies or China-linked companies are also prohibited from the bidding process.

Focus Taiwan said separately that the second batch of 42 M1A2T Abrams, a variant of the M1 Abrams main battle tanks, that Taiwan bought from the US is scheduled to arrive Saturday in Taipei, citing sources.

Taiwan has bought 108 of the tanks and related equipment from the US, which has provided arms to the island worth billions of dollars.

The sale was approved in 2019 and delivery is scheduled to be completed in 2026. Taiwan last purchased tanks from the US in 1994.

The first 38 tanks were delivered in December.​​​​​​​