AIR FORCE DENIES MEDIA REPORT OF MASS PRODUCTION OF TENG YUN UAVS|國造無人機將量產? 空軍:還在規劃中

A media outlet recently published an article on the domestically manufactured unmanned aerial vehicle "Teng Yun, saying the Ministry of National Defense will mass produce these to give to the Air Force for reconnaissance missions. However, the Air Force replied that the project is still in the planning stage due to budget and combat concerns. According to reports, the Ministry of National Defense will allocate funds to mass produce drones developed by the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology for the Air Force for reconnaissance missions. However, the Air Force itself says no plans have been finalized. ==CHENG JUNG-FENG Director, ROC Air Force Combat Readiness and Training Div.== We follow a national defense autonomy policy. Currently, it is in an engineering design phase. We will assess our combat needs, research and development achievements, national defense budget, and operating procedures to make a decision on weapon system acquisitions. Teng Yun drones are 8 meters long and 18 meters wide with flight time of at least 24 hours. They can be used for reconnaissance, supply drop and electromagnetic interference missions. However, they are limited in operations because Taiwan doesn't yet have the capability to operate drones. ==CHENG CHI-WEN Editor-in-Chief, Asia-Pacific Defense Magazine== Satellite technology can be used for auxiliary operations. Air-to-ground weapon systems are especially suitable for drones. We are still in the early stages of developing this kind of technology. Although Taiwan's drone technology needs to progress, current designs are combat-ready. TRANSLATED BY：CLARE LEAR