Frank Williams TAIPEI — Taiwan kicked off its major annual military exercises on Wednesday, emphasizing commanders’ ability to adapt quickly when battlefield conditions deviate from plans, while introducing temporary mobile internet slowdowns for the first time to prepare civilians for disrupted communications. The 10-day Han Kuang drills began early after an underground command center in…
Richard Sanders New Delhi – Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has repeatedly underscored the pressing requirement to develop a comprehensive domestic drone manufacturing ecosystem, aiming to secure strategic independence, bolster military readiness, and position the country as a leading global centre for indigenous unmanned systems. Drawing lessons from ongoing geopolitical turbulence, including the Russia-Ukraine war…
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…
Richard Sanders, Kampot Amid escalating U.S.-Iran hostilities, Tehran’s strategic deployment of naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz highlights growing threats to global energy routes. From Taiwan’s viewpoint, these tactics underscore the need to reduce dependence on vulnerable maritime chokepoints and prepare for broader economic disruptions. Iran has effectively used naval mines to restrict access…
Jake Saunders, Manila The top American diplomat in Taiwan has urged the island to become a “hornet’s nest” of drones, calling unmanned systems a vital deterrent against potential Chinese aggression. Speaking at a drone forum in Taichung, Raymond Greene, director of the American Institute in Taiwan, described UAVs as a “game-changing opportunity” to bolster Taiwan’s…
Frank Williams, Okinawa Taiwan’s military is on schedule to finish its next-generation integrated air defense intelligence system by the end of this year, with plans to deploy the advanced network as early as next year pending approval of additional funding, a military source said. The system merges two major domestic initiatives: the Huanzhan Project (寰展計畫),…
Richard Sanders, Phnom Penh Corey Wetherholt, founder of CivDiv LLC and a former U.S. Marine Corps infantryman, has emerged as a leading voice on small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) and first-person view (FPV) drone operations. His career trajectory—from conventional Marine infantry to guerrilla-style operations in Iraq, early advisory roles in Ukraine, and hands-on FPV engineering—mirrors…
Frank Williams, Ho Chi Minh City Taiwan’s Cabinet has approved a draft bill to fund a major expansion of its domestic drone industry, but political divisions in the legislature threaten to delay or derail the initiative. The Executive Yuan last Thursday signed off on a proposal authorizing a special budget of up to NT$210 billion…
Brian Lupus, Penang The recent conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran is increasingly being viewed by analysts as a defining example of how modern warfare is evolving—offering lessons that extend far beyond the Middle East, including for Taiwan and the broader Indo-Pacific. Despite overwhelming military superiority, a coalition led by Washington and Tel…
Francis Tushcek, Okinawa China has launched a ‘special maritime law enforcement operation’ east of Taiwan in response to the announcement of maritime border talks in the area by Japan and the Philippines. China – which views the self-ruled island as its own sovereign territory – protested the negotiations, saying they infringe on its sovereignty. The…