Jake Sanders, Zamboanga
Programs to develop remote-controlled drone defense systems have fallen significantly behind schedule and suffer from critical shortcomings that leave them exposed to advanced Chinese drone technologies and satellite navigation networks, according to the National Audit Office’s fiscal 2026 general financial statements.
The Air Force contracted the National Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) to build the system. However, the audit found that the platform cannot detect or disrupt drones operating on the 5.1 GHz frequency band, fails to identify certain bandwidths used by China’s Beidou 3 satellite network, and lacks effective countermeasures against fiber-optic-guided drones (FOG-D) and drones employing artificial-intelligence navigation.
China remains the world’s largest producer of drones, with global demand for its systems continuing to rise each year, the report noted. As the commonly used 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz bands have become saturated, Chinese manufacturers began developing drones that operate on the 5.1 GHz band in 2023. NCSIST will need further research and development to enable detection of these newer frequencies, auditors said.
The report also cautioned that the Air Force’s current anti-drone approach — which relies mainly on signal disruption and jamming — may prove inadequate against emerging threats such as FOG-D and AI-guided platforms. While the system can interfere with radio links on GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and some Beidou 3 frequencies, incomplete coverage of the Chinese satellite network could undermine its effectiveness.
Delays have plagued the program, stemming from construction setbacks, difficulties acquiring components, and prolonged project bidding processes. As of Nov. 28 last year, system operations and trials remained unfinished.
Between the start of operations and the audit cutoff, the Air Force detected 1,238 drones, of which 276 were targeted for jamming. Although these incidents were reported to police, no follow-up investigations occurred, the audit found. Unmanned aircraft pose both flight-safety hazards to military aircraft and potential security threats to bases, it warned.
In response, Air Force Command said it would evaluate expanding the system’s ability to track new frequencies and would continue close cooperation with NCSIST on necessary upgrades. Information on drones detected near military installations is forwarded to the command’s Operations and Intelligence Center; investigation results are reported to the command and the Ministry of National Defense.
Separately, the Executive Yuan stated in February that all drone countermeasure systems should prioritize domestically produced solutions, with military or commercial procurement treated as secondary options.
