Taiwan Navy procurement of military unmanned surface vessels is expected to begin as early as the end of 2026.

In military defense, the use of unmanned surface vessels is an important trend in modern naval warfare. This is primarily aimed at depleting enemy forces, delaying attacks, and even deterring them. The Navy Headquarters, MND, recently announced that it will hold a public briefing today (February 11th), stating that military unmanned surface vessels will be primarily procured domestically, integrating domestic and international manufacturers, equipment suppliers, and ICT providers to meet the operational requirements for defending the Taiwan Strait.

According to the Navy Headquarters' briefing, the initial plan for procuring unmanned surface vessels (USVs) will begin with bidding in stages starting at the end of 2026, and is expected to be divided into three phases, giving domestic manufacturers the opportunity to participate in the bidding until 2033. This means that even if preparations are insufficient this year, there will be opportunities in the next phase. The bidding requirements for each phase will be continuously revised based on the latest technologies to ensure the best possible match between military needs and commercial resources.

The Navy Headquarters reiterated that it began soliciting bids from manufacturers last year and continues to collect information from manufacturers this year. It also held briefings to encourage manufacturers to provide further suggestions to ensure a smooth bidding process at the end of the year. According to the Navy's public solicitation, the projects include at least unmanned vessels, portable guidance and control stations, mobile command and control vehicles, and relay stations.

The Navy Headquarters also revealed in its explanation that the current requirements are the minimum requirement; the better the technical specifications submitted by the manufacturers, the greater their chance of winning the order. These specifications include sea-keeping levels, remote control range, and communication anti-jamming technology. The current plan is to conduct an open tender, selecting multiple winning manufacturers based on their most advantageous bids, meaning that multiple manufacturers can compete for the order.

All manufacturers are welcome to participate in the 2026 Taiwan Marine Tech & Unmanned Robotics Expo (MATURE) to showcase unmanned vessels and related product technologies. For exhibition registration, please visit maturetaiwan.com.