Taiwan is closely watching how Ukraine uses drones in the war and wants to adapt that experience for its own defense, NYT reports

Taiwan is expanding the production and use of unmanned aerial vehicles to counter a possible threat from China, drawing on Ukraine’s battlefield experience. The island’s authorities plan mass production of drones and want to use inexpensive platforms against much more costly military targets. The New York Times reports.

The strategy Taiwan wants to use in the event of a possible conflict was developed by U.S. military personnel. It is called Hellscape.

Its essence is the massive use of drones, artillery, and missiles against advancing Chinese forces.

According to the publication, Taiwanese military officials are closely watching how Ukraine uses drones in the war and want to adapt that experience for their own defense.

This specifically involves using relatively cheap drones against significantly more expensive targets.

Taiwan’s authorities plan to produce about 100 thousand drones per month, half of which are intended for export.

In addition, the island wants to purchase about 210 thousand sea and air drones.

Analysts suggest that in the event of an escalation, Taiwan could use drones to attack Chinese ships as they leave ports, analogous to how Ukraine uses unmanned systems against Russia.

“Remember that China is also watching what is being done in Ukraine,” one expert noted.

At the same time, it is more difficult for Taiwan to quickly mobilize the necessary resources and implement new solutions in the military because the country is not in a state of actual war.

Earlier, Reuters reported that Ukrainian drone manufacturers see Asian countries as a potential market amid tensions between China and Taiwan.

BAGNET notes that China considers Taiwan part of its territory and in recent years has increased diplomatic, military, and economic pressure on the island. Taiwan’s authorities say they seek peace but are prepared to defend themselves in the event of an attack.