Amidst rising tension across the Taiwan Strait between Taiwan and China, the island country has strengthened its offensive capabilities with four American Predator Drones. These drones are being procured from the US based General Atomics. The US and Japan already have these drones and India is soon expected to join its QUAD colleagues in having Predator drone capabilities.

News coming out of Taipei indicates that the country has officially signed a procurement contract with the US to purchase four MQ-9B SeaGuardian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for US$555 million). The announcement about the formal procurement contract four MQ-9B SeaGuardian UAVs being firmed up was made by Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) on his Facebook page, according to Taipei News. The deal was announced after a military delegation from the US was invited by the Air Force Command Headquarters to meet at the American Institute in Taiwan.

According to reports, the contract is expected to be completed by 2029 and the first drone from the US will arrive in Taiwan in 2025. The contract includes four SeaGuardian UAVs, support systems and ground control station-related equipment.

Amid the security environment around Japan becoming severe, for one year, the US military stationed in Japan has plans to temporarily deploy the unmanned surveillance planes MQ-9 at the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s (MSDF) Kanoya Air Base.

The deal between India and the US for 30 MQ-9B drones is in the process of being firmed up soon. These drones will further enhance surveillance capabilities of the Indian Navy not only in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) but also along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh. Sources have confirmed to Financial Express Online that “The deal will be signed soon. The process is on. Since it is a government to government deal through Foreign Military sales route, it is taking time.”

Also Read: Top navy official says Predator Drones deal is on

Reports indicate that the government of the island nation has plans toconvert 141 F-16A/B jets into F-16Vs. Also on the anvil are 66 new F-16Vs which US based Lockheed Martin will sell with upgraded weapons, radar systems, and avionics. These fighter jets will help Taiwan to compete with the Air Force of China which is flying its own J-20 stealth fighters and other fighters. The F-16Vs that Taiwan is getting can be equipped with advanced AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missiles of Raytheon Technologies Corps. The company plans to deliver these fighters to Taiwan by the end of 2028.

Interestingly, when the deal for 66 F-16Vs was firmed up with Taiwan, Dr Vivek Lall was with Lockheed Martin at that time. And now when the deal for the MQ-9 drones has been clinched, the man behind the deal is Dr Vivek Lall, the Chief Executive for the General Atomics Global Corporation.

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