Taiwan Signed for 2,032 Anduril Drones the Day Lawmakers Capped Its Own
The American order has fixed quantities and deliveries running to 2033, while Taiwan's far larger domestic drone program was handed an annual ceiling already below what the defense ministry planned to spend next year.
The American order has fixed quantities and deliveries running to 2033, while Taiwan's far larger domestic drone program was handed an annual ceiling already below what the defense ministry planned to spend next year.
Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense posted an NT$26.9 billion (US$847 million) award to Anduril Industries on the government's electronic procurement system on Aug. 27, per Taiwan News. The contract covers 2,032 uncrewed systems.
The order runs to 1,554 Altius-700M loitering munitions and 478 Altius-600ISR reconnaissance aircraft, plus launch equipment and support, according to IN Defence. Deliveries begin in the fourth quarter of 2026 and finish in June 2033.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly did Taiwan buy?
1,554 Altius-700M loitering munitions and 478 Altius-600ISR reconnaissance aircraft from Anduril Industries, 2,032 systems in total, plus launch equipment and support, according to IN Defence. The award is worth NT$26.9 billion, about US$847 million.
When do the drones arrive?
Deliveries start in the fourth quarter of 2026 and run through June 2033, per Taiwan News and IN Defence.
How does the Altius-700M differ from the 600 series?
The 700M carries a roughly 15-kilogram warhead aimed at heavy armor and air-defense sites, close to four times the 600M's 4-kilogram load, according to The Defense Post. Both fly about 160 kilometers. The 700M loiters about 1.25 hours; the 600ISR, built for surveillance rather than strike, stays up about 3.5 hours.
Is this a new arms sale?
No. It is the contract step on a Foreign Military Sale case the State Department notified to Congress on Dec. 17, 2025 at an estimated $1.1 billion, transmittal 26-09, inside a tranche of eight sales worth $11.1 billion, as listed by the US-Taiwan Business Council.
What happened to Taiwan's own drone program?
On the same day, the Legislative Yuan rejected the Cabinet's NT$210 billion special budget for about 210,000 domestically made drones by 2031 and passed an opposition bill capping spending at roughly NT$40 billion a year, NT$240 billion over six annual budgets, Taipei Times reported. Defense Minister Wellington Koo has said the ministry already planned to spend NT$42.1 billion on drones next year alone.
What does the order mean for Anduril?
A seven-year allied production commitment measured in thousands of airframes. The company has invested more than $60 million in a 180,000-square-foot Atlanta facility to raise Altius output, per IN Defence.
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Marcus Schuler
Marcus Schuler edits BattlePolicy, a daily defense-technology brief connecting the companies and capabilities behind modern war to the contest among Europe, the US, Russia, and China.