Author: Joseph O'Connor

Weekly Taiwan Arms Sales Tracker: 11/26/25

Author: Joe O’Connor

See this week’s Taiwan Arms Tracker update, covering news relating to arms sales, indigenous production, and defense procurement in Taiwan, all below!

Altius-600M Drones Used in Live-Fire Exercise

Last Wednesday, the first live-fire exercises of Altius 600M drones took place at the Army’s UAV Training Center, being observed by Minister of Defense Wellington Koo. The drones, produced by the US defense company Anduril, represent the culmination of a sale announced in June 2024 and increased integration of UAVs into the Taiwanese military.

SOURCE: Fang Wei-li, Liberty Times

Govt to Spend NT$10 Billion on cUAS with NCSIST Assistance

With assistance from the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST), the Taiwanese government will invest NT$10 billion into counter-unmanned aerial systems (cUAS) technology. While not known on specifics, NCSIST will assist with an industry briefing, specifically on procuring bomb-dropping drones, loitering munitions, and coastal surveillance UAVs.

SOURCE: Tu Ju-min, Liberty Times

Lai Announces Special Budget, Writes Op-Ed in WaPo

In a public speech on Tuesday, President Lai Ching-te officially announced a special defense budget of NT$1.25 trillion (US$40 billion) for “strengthening defense resilience and asymmetric capabilities.” In an opinion piece in the Washington Post also published Tuesday, Lai stated that the “T-Dome” air defense system and drone development will be included in the budget.

SOURCE: Luo Tian-bin, Liberty Times, & Lai Ching-te, Washington Post

MND Announces New 155mm Shell Production Plan

On the heels of Tuesday’s announcement of a special defense budget, Minister of Defense Wellington Koo announced that NT$14 billion (US$447 million) from that budget will be invested in an automated production line at Factory 202 for 155mm artillery shells and 120mm tank ammunition. This, among other initiatives, is part of a budget objective to “enhance armament production capacity.”

SOURCE: Wu Zheyu, Liberty Times

Weekly Awards & Solicitations: Aircraft Maintenance, Parts

•On Monday, the Air Force Command awarded a NT$285.76 million (US$9.11 million) contract for maintenance of commercial aircraft, including the presidential aircraft.

•Also, on Monday, the Ministry of National Defense solicited bids for RDX minesweeping and maritime clearance items, worth NT$824.67 million (US$26.30 million).

•On Tuesday, the Air Force Command issued a request for information for parts for E-2T and P-3C aircraft, as well as EC-225 Super Puma helicopters.

SOURCE: Taiwanese Government E-Procurement System

Visualization: Japan’s First Island Chain Military Infrastructure

Visualization: Yonaguni Missile System Deployment

Authors: Noah Reed, Joe O’Connor

Today, Japanese Minister of Defense Shinjiro Koizumi visited Yonaguni, the westernmost Japanese island in the Senkakus. After inspecting a JGSDF garrison, Koizumi announced that the JSDF will deploy a Type 03 Chū-SAM missile battery on the island, to “reduce the likelihood of an armed attack against our country.” The Type 03 has an effective range of approximately 50 km, while Yonaguni itself is approximately 105 km from Taiwan.

Above is our visualization of the Type 03’s future deployment on Yonaguni.

Weekly Taiwan Arms Sales Tracker: 11/19/25

Author: Joe O’Connor

See this week’s Taiwan Arms Tracker update, covering news relating to arms sales, indigenous production, and defense procurement in Taiwan, all below!

FMS Sale Notified: F-16, C-130, IDF Spare Parts

Today, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a new possible sale to Taiwan worth US$330 million (NT$10.28 billion) for non-standard spare parts for use in F-16, C-130, and Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF) aircraft. The last FMS sale to Taiwan was in December 2024 (329 days ago), of Mk 75 76-mm gun mounts.

SOURCE: Reuters and Defense Security Cooperation Agency

Taiwan Lacks Abrams Battlefield Management System

On Thursday, LY Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee chairperson Wang Dingyu revealed that the Army did not purchase the US-made Battlefield Management System (BMS) for use in the Abrams. This has forced commanders to use voice commands as well as the complete retraining of tank crews, until a suitable alternative can be developed.

SOURCE: Fang Wei-li, Liberty Times

Pentagon Approves Contract for Production of NASAMS

On Monday, the U.S. Army awarded a $698.95 million (NT$21.8 billion) contract to Raytheon to produce NASAMS fire units for Taiwan. The contract forms part of a $1.16 billion FMS case approved in October 2024, which is currently backlogged. According to the announcement, work is expected to be completed by spring 2031.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Defense

Army Requests Information on FPV Drones, Netting

On Monday, the Army made requests for information (RFIs) on several potential purchases:

•Drone protective netting (3,170), made of nylon and 6 x 30 m.

•FPV night-vision drones (370), between 7-10 inches wide, less than 1 kg, must not use parts from China, and must be subject to inspection.

SOURCE: Taiwanese Government E-Procurement System

Weekly Awards & Tenders: Ammunition, Netting

•On Friday, the Armaments Bureau solicited bids for a first tranche of 7.62-mm and 5.56-mm blank cartridges, as well as 5.56-mm and 9-mm bullets, worth NT$1.51 billion (US$48.37 million).

•Also, on Friday, the Air Force Maintenance Command solicited bids for camouflage netting, worth NT$34.26 million (US$1.10 million).

SOURCE: Taiwanese Government E-Procurement System

Weekly Taiwan Arms Tracker: 11/12/25

Author: Joe O’Connor

Contributing Researchers: Eric Gomez, Jaime Ocon, Reed Bishop, Sean Dilallo

See this week’s Taiwan Arms Tracker update, covering news relating to arms sales, indigenous production, and defense procurement in Taiwan, all below!

ROCAF Provides MQ-9B Delivery Update to LY

In an LY hearing on Thursday, Air Force Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Lee Ching-jan stated that the first 2 aircraft are expected to be delivered in the third quarter of 2026. In response to questions from KMT lawmakers, Lee reported that US end-user restrictions do not apply to telemetry and intelligence data collected by the drones, with data going to Taiwanese ground stations at Chiayi and Hualien Air Bases.

SOURCE: Fang Wei-li, Liberty Times

Mk 48 Torpedo and MS-110 Delivery Updates

After last week’s LY delay report, Navy Chief of Staff Vice Adm. Chiu Chun-jung clarified that the delivery timeline of Mk 48 torpedoes has slipped from 2026 to 2028 and that closeout has slipped to 2030. Maj. Gen. Huang Wen-chi, Director of the MND Strategic Planning Department, also stated that delivery of 6 MS-110 reconnaissance pods will begin in batches before the end of the year.

SOURCE: Liu Yujie, China Times

ROCN Announces Missile and Munitions Storage Plan

In its recent military investment budget, the ROCN has allocated NT$9.88 billion (US$639.66 million) for 2026-2029 for munition storage construction and renovation, via dispersed stockpiles and prepositioning. Only NT$30.97 million (US$1.0 million) will be appropriated for 2026, while the majority will be spent on construction during 2027-29.

SOURCE: Tu Ju-min, Liberty Times

First Batch of PAC-3 MSE Expected by End of Year

As a part of the proposed “T-Dome” air defense network announced by the Lai administration, it was announced Tuesday that batches of the PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) will begin arriving in Taiwan by the end of this year, with completion in 2027. The MND is budgeting in the future for an additional 4 Patriot systems and more than 500 more PAC-3 MSEs to supplement.

SOURCE: Tu Ju-min, Liberty Times

Weekly Awards & Tenders: Tugboats, NVGs, Gun Cabinets

•On Tuesday, Naval Command solicited bids for procurement of new harbor tugboats, worth NT$807.57 million (US$26.08 million).

•Also on Tuesday, the Armaments Bureau’s Factory 205 awarded a NT$357.75 million (US$11.55 million) contract for procurement of T112 single-rifle storage cabinets.

•On Wednesday, the ROC Defense Mission to the US awarded a NT$122.99 million (US$3.97 million) contract to the AIT for production of helicopter night-vision goggles.

SOURCE: Taiwanese Government E-Procurement System

Weekly Taiwan Arms Tracker: 11/05/25

Author: Joe O’Connor

Contributing Researchers: Reed Bishop, Jaime Ocon, and Eric Gomez

See this week’s Taiwan Arms Tracker update, covering news relating to arms sales, indigenous production, and defense procurement in Taiwan, all below!

MND Considers C-130 Purchase over Maintenance

Reports Sunday indicated that the Air Force Command has decided to procure 10 C-130J transport aircraft instead of continuing a scheduled performance upgrade program for 20 active C-130Hs. The upgrade program, worth NT$13.6 billion (US$440 million), included major engine replacement, making it more expensive. The proposed sale has not been submitted to the US but will likely face delays.

SOURCE: Lo Tien-bin, Liberty Times

HIMARS Reportedly Ahead of Schedule

On Monday, a report submitted to the Legislative Yuan revealed the status of several arms deliveries, including delays on F-16s and AGM-154Cs. However, the second tranche of HIMARS systems, including 18 launchers, 20 ATACMS missiles, and 864 rockets, are expected to arrive in the fourth quarter of 2026, instead of 2027.

SOURCE: Tu Ju-min, Liberty Times

AGM-154C JSOWs Reportedly Further Delayed

The same report to the LY on Monday reported that AGM-154C Joint Standoff Weapons (JSOW) deliveries will be delayed to 2027 or 2028. Originally approved in 2017 and planned for 2023, the JSOWs have been delayed because Taiwan opted for the newest configuration and production had to be restarted. A similar issue has plagued production and delivery of Mk 48 torpedoes, the report also indicated.

SOURCE: Tu Ju-min, Liberty Times

MND Releases CUAS Procurement Disclosure Info

On Monday, the MND released a public-review notice for procurement of 635 “portable counter-UAV systems,” worth NT$9.67 billion (US$313.1 million). Units will be spread among the Army, Navy, Air Force, and information/electronic warfare units. This procurement will be funded via the 2026-28 special resilience budget, and the notice was not a formal tender for bids, instead published for feedback purposes.

SOURCE: Tu Ju-min, Liberty Times

Weekly Awards & Tenders: Facilities, Document Revision

•On Thursday, the Military Medical Bureau solicited bids for the construction of a proton therapy center at the Tri-Service General Hospital in Taipei, worth NT$866.66 million (US$28.04 million).

•On Monday, the Air Force Command awarded a NT$773.83 million (US$25.02 million) contract to Dassault for revision of technical documents for Mirage 3000 fighter jets, which the ROCAF uses.

SOURCE: Taiwanese Government E-Procurement System

Weekly Taiwan Arms Tracker: 10/29/25

Author: Joe O’Connor

Contributing Researchers: Sean Dilallo, Reed Bishop, and Joseph Krasnowski

See this week’s Taiwan Arms Tracker update, covering news relating to arms sales, indigenous production, and defense procurement in Taiwan, all below!

Minister Koo Testifies on Porcupine Act, Abrams Tanks

In an LY hearing on Thursday, Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo noted that Taiwan’s Defense Innovation Organization has already begun talks with the U.S.’s Defense Innovation Unit, as well as the recent passage of the Porcupine Act by a U.S. Senate committee. Koo also confirmed that Taiwan’s first Abrams tank battalion will be activated on October 31.

SOURCE: Fang Wei-li & Chen Chih-cheng, Liberty Times

ROCAF Officers to Supervise NASAMS Production in US

Public documents released on Saturday indicates that Taiwan’s Air Force will send 2 personnel starting in 2026 to supervise NASAMS production at US facilities. 6 personnel will also attend a weeklong project management conference to review the roadmap. Taiwan is planning to acquire 3 units, alongside Sentinel radars, and AMRAAM missiles as part of the buy.

SOURCE: Lo Tien-pin, Liberty Times

F-16 Delays Continue: MND and Premier Statements

In a statement on Tuesday, the MND explained significant delays in F-16 procurement as impacts from post-COVID supply-chain disruptions and noted increased production efficiency by manufacturer Lockheed Martin. Premier Cho Jung-tai also stated that the MND must review and revise payment schedules to prevent early payment before delivery.

SOURCE: Fang Wei-li, Liberty Times

Weekly Awards: ACTIS, Thunderbolt 2000 Maintenance

•The Air Force Aviation Technology Research and Development Center awarded a NT$689.65 million (US$22.57 million) maintenance contract for the Air Combat Training Instrumentation System (ACTIS), a simulator pod to be used on aircraft.

•The Army Logistics Command awarded a $113.72 million (US$3.71 million) contract for follow-on maintenance of Thunderbolt 2000 MLRS systems.

SOURCE: Taiwanese Government E-Procurement System

Weekly Tenders: Airport Fire Trucks, C-130 Servicing

•The Air Force Command is soliciting bids for 3,000-gallon capacity airport fire trucks, likely for Tainan Air Base, worth NT$997.20 million (US$32.56 million).

•The Air Force Command also solicited bids for C-130 aircraft maintenance and alert hangar construction, worth NT$128.48 million (US$4.19 million)

SOURCE: Taiwanese Government E-Procurement System

Weekly Taiwan Arms Update: 10/22/25

Author: Joe O’Connor

Contributing Researchers: Jaime Ocon, Eric Gomez, Sean Dilallo, and Giuseppe DiStefano

See this week’s Taiwan Arms Tracker update, covering news relating to arms sales, indigenous production, and defense procurement in Taiwan, all below!

Cabinet Approves Drone Development Program

On Thursday, the Executive Yuan approved a proposal for indigenous production of drones, worth NT$44.2 billion (US$1.4 billion). Procurement will be funded via the ”special resilience budget” that is under Legislative Yuan consideration. Notably, about 100,000 drones will be purchased under the program, of which 48,750 would be for national defense.

SOURCE: Chung Li-Hua & Hollie Younger, Taipei Times

ROCAF Solicits Bids for Anti-Drone Netting

On October 13, the Air Force Command Headquarters issued a preliminary inquiry for anti-drone equipment, including bird netting, tent pegs, and bamboo. The nets and other equipment will be deployed around Chiayi Air Base, where F-16V fighters are located. Similar nets are currently used in Ukraine to protect against first-person-view (FPV) drones.

SOURCE: Tu Ju-Min, Liberty Times

Harpoon Coastal Defense System Delivery Updates

On Monday, Navy Chief of Staff, Vice Adm. Chiu Chun-jung provided an update to the LY on delivery of the Harpoon Coastal Defense System. As previously reported in September, Taiwan is expected to receive the first batch of Harpoon missiles (approximately ~20) for their existing 5 launchers by January 1, 2026. The new Littoral Combatant Command, under which the Harpoons will be based, will also be launched that day, per Chiu.

SOURCE: Matt Yu & Sean Lin, CNA

DIO Procures Tethered Drones, Stinger Simulators

The MND’s Defense Innovation Office (DIO) has announced its plans to acquire tethered drones, as well as Stinger missile simulators via small-lot procurement and evaluation. Tethered drones are meant to provide continuous data-linking and power over a fixed location. All procurements are expected to take place in 2026.

SOURCE: Chen Chih-cheng, Liberty Times

F-16 Block 70 and Brave Eagle Delivery Updates

During an LY hearing on Monday, Air Force Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Lee Ching-jan said that the “risk assessment is quite high” that delivery of the F-16V Block 70 fighters will be delayed until the end of 2026. He also said that funds to pay for the aircraft would be reserved from the Air Force’s budget. On Wednesday, it was also reported that 49 Brave Eagle advanced trainer jets were delivered by September 2025, with the remainder expected by 2026.

SOURCE: Lo Tien-pin & Chen Chih-cheng, Liberty Times

Taiwan Arms Sale Backlog, September 2025 Update

Partial Deliveries, Future Schedules and Co-Production News

By Eric Gomez and Joseph O’Connor

There were many updates to US arms sale cases to Taiwan, but no new Foreign Military Sales (FMS) cases were announced, and no deliveries were completed, so our dataset has not changed from last month. We assess the current backlog to be $21.54 billion.

See Figure 1 for a breakdown of this total by category and Table 1 for an itemized list of the FMS cases in the backlog with the latest available information on their status.

Before getting into updates from September 2025, we wanted to explain why our dataset has remained fixed at $21.54 billion despite more information coming out about partial deliveries.

A Note on Methodology
Our dataset retains the full dollar value of an arms sale case as notified to Congress until the arms package is fully delivered. However, as 2025 has progressed, many packages have been partially delivered. This means that the dataset’s top-line backlog dollar value of $21.54 billion is inaccurate.
While we are aware of this accuracy issue, we are not changing the dataset’s methodology at this time and wanted to explain why.

First, FMS cases typically include many more pieces of equipment than the headline item. The sale of 108 Abrams tanks, for example, includes tank recovery vehicles, munitions, machine guns, and spare parts. Reducing the backlog’s dollar value by a fraction of the number of tanks delivered would therefore also produce an inaccurate number.

Second, while it may be easy to track partial deliveries of weapons systems with a bigger media following, like tanks and aircraft, most of the backlog consists of platforms that are smaller in both size and level of attention, making it harder to determine when partial delivery has occurred.

Third, it is not always possible to determine the scale of a partial delivery. For larger capabilities like HIMARS, F-16s, and Abrams tanks, it is easy to keep track of what is in Taiwan and what is not, but for many other cases, precise numbers are not available. The partial delivery of Altius drones from August 2025 is an instructive recent example of this. As of the end of September, no specific number of drones has been mentioned as being delivered, only a “first batch.”

While our current methodology is imperfect, due to data availability constraints, we are concerned that attempting to adjust the backlog’s dollar value based on partial deliveries would also produce an inaccurate number. Therefore, we will stick with our existing methodology despite its flaws.

Additionally, we have made two changes to the Excel file that accompanies these blog posts. First, we deleted the sheet that tracked US arms transfers to Ukraine and their overlap with arms sales to Taiwan because of changes in the overall level of US military aid to Ukraine and a general lack of new information from the State Department. Second, the sheet tracking all FMS cases since the beginning of the Ukraine war had become very long, so we disaggregated it. The new sheets are now labeled “Global FMS Cases 2022,” “Global FMS Cases 2023,” etc.

New Information on Partial Delivery of Switchblade Drones
A press report from Taiwan’s Liberty Times, citing the Ministry of National Defense (MND) 2026 budget request, indicates that, in addition to the partial delivery of Altius-600M drones last month, Taiwan has also started receiving Switchblade 300 drones. The Military Police Command has already received 66 Switchblade drones. The army is receiving 619 Switchblades, with 150 expected by the end of 2025 and 469 by the end of 2026. The original Congressional notification for the Switchblade sale had 720 drones, but from the press report and other sources, this number has evidently been reduced to 685.

The same press report also indicated that a second batch of Altius-600M drones should arrive in Taiwan by the end of 2025, which would complete the FMS case. If the defense industry can stick to these delivery schedules, it will be a significant achievement in the speedy delivery of FMS cases. Both cases were notified to Congress in mid-June 2024, meaning that it took just slightly over a year to go from notification to initial delivery. In the world of arms sales, this is a breakneck pace. Given Taiwan’s urgent need for large numbers of unmanned systems to offset China’s military advantages, the rapid pace of Switchblade and Altius deliveries is a heartening development.

Updated Delivery Timelines for Multiple Arms Sales
We were able to find new information about delivery timelines for five arms sale cases in the backlog. These are covered in alphabetical order.

AN/TPS-77/78 Radar Systems
In October 2024, Congress was notified of an FMS case for an unspecified number of AN/TPS-77 and AN/TPS-78 mobile air defense radar systems valued at $828 million. A press report in September 2025 provided more information about the number of radar systems being procured and their delivery timeline. Taiwan is purchasing four TPS-77s and five TPS-78s. The TPS-77s will begin arriving in 2026, while the TPS-78s will begin arriving in 2027. Both radar systems should be completely delivered by the end of 2028.

F-16 Block 70s
Taiwan’s first F-16 Block 70 aircraft rolled off the production line in March 2025, but the jets have not been flown to Taiwan yet. Taiwanese news sources reported that the first two aircraft would arrive in early October, around the time of the National Day holiday on October 10. The ROCAF has denied the press reports, but the Air Force Chief of Staff testified to the Legislative Yuan (LY) that he expects 10 aircraft to arrive before the end of the year.

Harpoon Coastal Defense System
The $2.37 billion sale of 100 ground-based Harpoon launchers, 25 radar vehicles, and 400 missiles is the largest asymmetric arms sale by dollar value in the backlog. In May 2025, the MND informed the LY that 5 launch vehicles and 1 radar vehicle had already been delivered. A press report from September 2025 indicates that Taiwan will take delivery of the first batch of ground-launched Harpoon missiles before the end of 2025. Assuming that there will be enough missiles to fully arm the five launchers, with four tubes apiece, this would be 20 total missiles.

MK-48 Heavyweight Torpedoes
Taiwan News, citing the MND’s budget request for 2026, reported in September that Taiwan will receive four training Mk-48 heavyweight torpedoes next year, with 14 additional torpedoes arriving in 2027 and 10 in 2028. There was a 2017 Congressional notification for 46 Mk-48s for $250 million, and it is not clear if these 28 total torpedoes represent a reduction in the original arms sale or if deliveries will continue past 2028. These torpedoes will arm Taiwan’s new class of indigenously produced submarines, which have run into delays.

MQ-9B Drones
Last month, we shared information from the 2026 MND budget request saying that two MQ-9B drones are expected to be delivered next year. Additional reporting from September clarifies that the two remaining drones will be delivered in 2028, and that all four will be the SeaGuardian variant of the MQ-9B, optimized for maritime reconnaissance.

Barracuda Missile Co-Production
The final major update from September 2025 was an announcement by Taiwan’s National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) that it will co-produce with Anduril Industries the Barracuda, a low-cost anti-ship missile. NCSIST claims that each missile will cost approximately $216,000 and be made in Taiwan. Little else is known about the Barracuda or the details of the co-production agreement, but if NCSIST and Anduril can indeed join forces to manufacture such missiles in Taiwan at scale, it would be a major positive development for Taiwan moving toward a sustainable asymmetric defense posture.

Co-production means that Taiwanese companies would produce American-designed weapons in Taiwan. Such agreements would require export licensing of sensitive US technology, which undergoes a complex and lengthy review and approval process. This may mean a slower up-front process, but successful co-production agreements between the United States and Taiwan would take pressure off an overburdened US defense industrial base while also giving the Taiwanese defense industry experience building more weapons. The Barracuda missile is not part of the backlog because it does not have an FMS case notified to Congress.

Conclusion
Although the dollar value of Taiwan’s arms sale backlog has not changed, 2025 has been a busy year for US-Taiwan arms sales. There is considerably more information available about delivery schedules and partial deliveries than last year, including much-faster-than-expected timelines for critical asymmetric capabilities like man-portable drones. We hope our methodological note explains our reasoning for not adjusting the backlog’s dollar value yet despite the partial delivery developments.

Taiwan Arms Backlog Data_September 2025 Download

Taiwan Arms Sale Backlog, August 2025 Update

Altius Deliveries and 2026 Delivery Schedules

By Joseph O’Connor and Eric Gomez

August featured a major development in arms sales to Taiwan, as US manufacturer Anduril announced the delivery of the first set of Altius drones to the MND, just six months after the initial contract was announced. In late August, the 2026 defense budget request was submitted to the Legislative Yuan, and included a schedule of incoming deliveries, including MQ-9B drones and Mk 48 heavyweight torpedoes.

The overall size of the U.S. arms sale backlog to Taiwan remains $21.54 billion. For arms sales valued at over $1 billion, deliveries in progress are marked in yellow-orange in our visualizations. Figure 1 shows the current composition of the arms sale backlog by weapon category. Table 1 shows an itemized list of arms sales in the backlog with the most recently available information about their status.

Altius UAV Delivery

On August 4, Anduril founder Palmer Luckey visited MND officials, presenting them with the first delivery of Altius-600M drones. This is especially significant as this sale was only notified to Congress in June 2024, just over a year ago, and as Liberty Times reported, likely set a record for the fastest delivery of weapons in the last twenty years. The Congressional notification gives a dollar value of $300 million for 291 drones.

However, the number in the first batch was reported as unspecified. Thus, we regard the Altius-600M sale as being partially but not fully delivered. Because the sale is under the $1 billion threshold, we have not adjusted the visualizations. The dollar value of the arms sale backlog will decrease once all the drones are in Taiwan. Regardless, the rapid speed of the initial Altius delivery to Taiwan is a positive development given the importance of these types of asymmetric capabilities in fending off a Chinese invasion.

2026 Defense Budget Request and Schedule of Delivery

On August 29, the 2026 defense budget was submitted to the Legislative Yuan (LY) by the Executive Yuan (EY) for review and debate. As United Daily News reported, the budget request also contained specifics about scheduled arms deliveries in the next year.

First, two MQ-9B drones (of four) for the ROCAF are expected next year. Backlog followers will recall that in May, an MND budget unfreezing report indicated that all four would be delivered in 2026 due to concerns about where they would be based.

Next, the remaining batch of five MS-110 reconnaissance pods (of six total) are scheduled to be delivered. The last update to this was in June, when a press report indicated that the pods would begin arriving in 2025, contradicting SIPRI’s claim that five had already been delivered.

Additionally, the report indicated that four Mark 48 heavyweight torpedoes of 46 will be delivered. Our last update to this sale was also in June, when we reported that delays to Taiwan’s indigenous submarine program may affect torpedo deliveries. We suspect that the 2026 torpedoes may be practice or training torpedoes.

Lastly, the budget report stated that all 14 Volcano anti-tank mining systems would be delivered by the end of next year. The last update to this was in September 2024, when a press report indicated delivery by 2026.

Another note from the budget report: Liberty Times reported that the budget also includes a request for 9 NASAMS launchers and 339 missiles for the ROCAF, worth $3.63 billion or NTD $110 billion. This was moved from the 2025 confidential budget to next year’s public budget.

Conclusion

The Altius delivery is extremely significant and a potential sign of things to come for future arms sales deliveries, especially lower-cost, asymmetric items. The updated schedules for 2026 deliveries are mixed, but completion of MS-110 pods and Volcano systems are welcome in reducing the $21 billion backlog.

Taiwan Arms Backlog Data_August 2025 Download