The U.S. State Department approved the sale of four drones to Taiwan, and the Defense Security Cooperation Agency has notified Congress of this on Tuesday (Nov. 3). This is the third time in two weeks that the U.S. government has notified Congress about an arms sale to Taiwan.
The four drones are General Atomics (General Atomics) manufactured MQ-9B “Sea Guardian” (Sea Guardian) drones.
The estimated value of the four drones, along with two fixed ground control stations, two mobile ground control stations, 14 auxiliary navigation systems, multispectral targeting systems, radars and other related equipment is about $600 million, according to a news release from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
The press release also stated that the proposed arms sale was consistent with United States law and policy and would “support the national, economic, and security interests of the United States by supporting the recipient’s continued modernization of its armed forces and the maintenance of credible defensive capabilities” and that the arms sale would “help improve the recipient’s security and assist in maintaining regional political stability, military readiness, and stability”. balance, economy and progress.”
In addition, this arms sale program will also improve the recipient’s ability to respond to current and future threats by providing timely intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), target acquisition, and anti-land, anti-sea, and anti-submarine strike capabilities that will benefit its security and defense, and the sale of this equipment and support will not alter the fundamental military balance in the region.
According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), this capability is a deterrent to regional threats and will strengthen the recipient’s self-defense. The recipient would have no difficulty integrating the system into its armed forces.
On October 21, the U.S. State Department approved three military sales to Taiwan, including high-mobility rocket systems (HIMARS) and related equipment, extended-range out-of-area surface attack missiles (AGM84H) and related equipment, reconnaissance pods for F-16 fighter jets and related equipment; on October 26, the State Department also approved the sale of up to 100 sets of Harpoon Coastal Defense System (HCDS) and related equipment to Taiwan.
The U.S.-Taiwan Business Association welcomed this in a statement. President Rupert Hammond-Chambers said that Taiwan is continuing to expand its intelligence and surveillance facilities, and that “adding the Maritime Guardian platform will provide Taiwan with significant new maritime surveillance capabilities, which is an important mission for the Taiwan Navy, particularly in the PLAN. At a time when it is actively violating regional and Taiwan Strait waters.”
Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry has welcomed the U.S. approval of the sale of drones to Taiwan.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Ou Jiang-an said Wednesday morning Taipei time that he had officially received notification that the U.S. government would sell four MQ-9B drones to Taiwan, “This is the 10th time during President Donald Trump’s term and the third time in two weeks that the U.S. government has provided our country with important defensive weapons, making Taiwan more capable and confident in safeguarding peace and regional stability in the Taiwan Strait. ” The Government of Taiwan is grateful to the United States Government for its continued concrete actions to implement its security commitments to Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act and the “six guarantees”.
Following the United States’ previous approval of the arms sale to Taiwan, the Chinese Government expressed its strong dissatisfaction and protest, and announced that it would impose sanctions on the United States manufacturers Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and Boeing Defence Group for their participation in the arms sale to Taiwan.
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