TAIPEI: Anti-drone technology battle-tested in Ukraine is on display at a Taiwanese defense expo that opened Thursday, as arms makers seek to cash in on the island’s efforts to protect itself against a potential Chinese attack.
Taiwan has boosted defense spending in recent years and acquired smaller and more nimble weaponry, including drones, to enable its military to wage asymmetric warfare against its more powerful foe.
But increasing Russian drone attacks on Ukraine have fanned concerns in Taiwan about how the democratic island would fend off swarms of unmanned aerial vehicles in any conflict with China.
Taiwan’s defense ministry is seeking up to $33 billion in special funding to upgrade its military capabilities, including investing in anti-drone technology, a senior lawmaker told AFP last week.
Counter-drone firms at the Taipei Aerospace and Defense Technology Exhibition told AFP they hoped to snatch a share of the market.
