Taiwan says US drone deal to be finalised by March next year: Report

Taiwan is expecting deal for purchase of US-me Sky Guardian unscrewed drones to be finalized by March next year, as talks with Washington to procure Palin self-propelled howitzers are ongoing, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense told Taipei Times on Thursday, December 23. ministry expects to receive a letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) from US defence ministry early at beginning of next year, Minister of National Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng said at Legislative Yuan’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee. 

Letter expected in March

Kuo-Cheng’s response was issued after Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Liao Wan-Ju enquired about delivery of Atomic General MQ-9B Sky Guardian uncrewed drones. At meeting, Taiwan air force Chief of Staff Huang Chih-Wei said that letter from Washington was expected in March. Apart from drones, Washington has also struck deal to deliver M2A2T Abrams tanks, F-16V Block 70 jets, M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, extended-range air-to-ground missiles, ground-launched Harpoon missiles, field information communications systems, and Patriot III missile systems to Taiwan amid threat of Chinese attack. 

Taipei Times quoted defence ministry as saying that at least four LOAs for arms deals with US have not been received and that arms delivery could be delayed by at least 10 or more months. He of Ministry of National Defense’s Department of Strategic Planning, Lee Shih-Chiang, meanwhile stated that Taiwan’s defence ministry has estimated for LOA of Sky Guardian LOA to arrive early next year as legislature has alrey approved arms budget to procure more drones for next year. Although, he ded, that LOA for over 40 M109A6 Palin self-propelled howitzers is still under discussion with US defence ministry.

LOA for field information communications systems meanwhile has alrey been received, Taiwan defence ministry said. With respect to 40 M109A6 Palin howitzers, re have been certain disagreements on price and specifications of precision parts, said Lee Shih-Chiang.