Report: Taiwan to Build Over 1,300 Kuai Chi Uncrewed Surface Vessels

Taiwan has announced plans to procure 1,320 domestically produced Kuai Chi attack uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) over five years, Taipei Times reported.

The USVs will be delivered in three batches, with each batch distributed to different divisions, including the Taiwanese Navy’s Coastal Combat Command, the Marine Corps, and the Army Special Operations Command.

Naval Command Headquarters will be assigned by Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense to oversee procurement and mass production.

Recent Tests

The acquisition announcement follows Kuai Chi’s recent evaluation during the Sea and Air Precision Ammunition Firing Exercise at Jiupeng military base in Pingtung County, southern Taiwan.

The live-fire exercise demonstrated a coordinated sea-air strike using multiple drones.

Developed by the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology, the USV was tested in an integrated setup with its onboard Ching Feng I system, first-person view suicide drones, and Albatross II aerial drones, which provide real-time guidance.

The systems first jammed and suppressed enemy close-in defenses, then conducted precision strikes, followed by a high-impact Kuai Chi USV suicide attack on moving targets.

After the trials, Kuai Chi may be showcased at the Taipei Aerospace and Defense Technology Exhibition planned for next month.

Ramping Up Defense Investments

Taipei is steadily increasing its investments in military equipment and weapons in response to growing tensions with China, which claims the island nation as its territory.

For 2026, the Asian country plans to increase its defense budget to $31.1 billion, equivalent to 3.3 percent of GDP, up 22.9 percent from this year.

Part of the investment aims at boosting indigenous and US-supplied drone and unmanned systems capabilities.