The US-Taiwan Business Council Welcomes the Sale to Taiwan of 4 MQ-9B SeaGuardian Surveillance Drones

November 3, 2020

(Arlington, Virginia, November 3, 2020)

The US-Taiwan Business Council today welcomed the announcement of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Taiwan of 4 Weapons-Ready MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft and related equipment. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this proposed arms sale on November 3, 2020.

The published Congressional Notification (transmittal number 20-74) has a total expected program cost of US$600 million. The proposed sale consists of 4 Weapons-Ready MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft, 2 Fixed Ground Control Stations, 2 Mobile Ground Control Stations, and 14 Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigations Systems (EGI) with Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module. It also includes targeting and electronic surveillance measures systems, SeaVue patrol radars, data terminals, transponders, engines, secure communications and other equipment, spare and repair parts, training and engineering support, and other related elements of logistical and program support.

In response to this notification, the fifth involving Taiwan within the last two weeks, US-Taiwan Business Council President Rupert Hammond-Chambers said, “Taiwan continues to expand its existing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) infrastructure. Adding the SeaGuardian platform will provide Taiwan with substantial new maritime surveillance capabilities. This is a crucial mission for the Taiwan Navy, particularly given the PLA’s aggressive incursions in regional waters and in the Taiwan Strait. We can expect Taiwan to further expand this capability in the coming years.”

Hammond-Chambers added “Taiwan is hitting its stride in its efforts to modernize and develop its military capacity. SeaGuardian is a top-rated platform, and this sale reflects an adjustment by the Trump Administration to make available new capabilities – such as drones – to U.S. friends and allies to complicate PLA planning. American policy towards Taiwan should indeed include consideration of all platforms that enhance Taiwan’s defensive posture while also improving Northeast Asian security.”

Source: See the DSCA website at https://www.dsca.mil/press-media/major-arms-sales

 

USTBC Welcomes the Sale to Taiwan of 4 MQ-9B SeaGuardian Surveillance Drones

Related Media

August 21, 2007 Press Releases

Senior U.S. and Taiwan Defense Officials to Deliver Keynotes at US-Taiwan Defense Industry Conference 2007

The US-Taiwan Business Council today announced keynote speakers for the US–Taiwan Defense Industry Conference 2007, which will take place September 9-11, 2007 in Annapolis, Maryland. The keynote speakers are: Ko Chen-Heng, Deputy Minister (Policy), Ministry of National Defense, Taiwan David Sedney, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Asian & Pacific Security Affairs, U.S. Department of Defense Thomas Christensen, […]

February 5, 2014 Press Releases

US-Taiwan Business Council Believes that the Obama Administration Remains Committed to Taiwan’s F-16 Upgrade Program

Recent reports have indicated that the alleged defunding by the U.S. Air Force of the combat avionics programmed extension suite (CAPES) will negatively impact Taiwan’s F-16 A/B upgrade program. The US-Taiwan Business Council believes these reports to be inaccurate. Should this defunding occur, it will have no impact on the schedule or cost for Taiwan’s […]

January 2, 2020 Press Releases

Press Note: The U.S. Defense Community Mourns the Loss of Eight Taiwan Defense Officials, Including CGS Shen Yi-ming, Killed in Helicopter Crash

The US-Taiwan Business Council (USTBC) and the U.S. defense community today mourn the loss of eight Taiwan defense officials killed in a helicopter crash in the mountains of New Taipei City on the morning of January 2, 2020. The list of casualties include Taiwan’s top military official, Chief of the General Staff General Shen Yi-ming, […]

December 6, 2022 Press Releases

USTBC Comments on the Proposed FMS of Aircraft Spare Parts to Taiwan

Press Release:The US-Taiwan Business Council Comments on the Proposed Foreign Military Sales of Aircraft Spare Parts to Taiwan (Arlington, Virginia, December 7, 2022) The US-Taiwan Business Council today welcomed the announcement of two possible Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to Taiwan, supplying aircraft standard and nonstandard spare parts and related equipment at an estimated total cost […]