핵심요약

• 217억 달러 예산으로 4대의 MQ-9B 드론과 관련 장비 구매
• 2024년과 2025년에 두 배로 드론 공급 예정
• 드론의 최대 비행 범위는 약 6,000km, 최대 28시간 비행 가능
• 실시간 데이터 링크로 중국의 군사 활동을 모니터링할 계획
• 고고도 장시간 비행 무인기(UAV)는 전투 작전 지원 및 적의 작전 방해에 기여

도입

이번 기사는 대만이 미국에서 MQ-9B 스카이가디언 드론을 도입하는 과정에서 발생하는 전략적 변화를 분석하는 데 중요합니다. 특히, 대만의 군사 능력 강화와 중국과의 관계에 미치는 영향을 고려할 때, 투자자들은 이 새로운 무기 시스템이 지역 안정성과 경제적 영향을 어떻게 변화시킬지 주목해야 합니다.

본문 1: 대만의 군사 능력 강화와 예산 배분

대만은 2022년부터 2029년까지 총 217억 달러를 할당해 4대의 MQ-9B 드론과 관련 장비를 구매할 계획입니다. 이 예산은 대만의 군사 능력을 강화하기 위한 중요한 투자이며, 특히 중국의 군사 위협에 대응하기 위한 전략적 수단으로 활용될 것입니다. 드론의 최대 비행 범위가 약 6,000km에 달하고, 최대 28시간 비행이 가능하다는 점에서, 대만의 항공 감시 능력을 크게 향상시킬 수 있을 것으로 기대됩니다. 이는 대만의 국방 예산에서 무인기 분야에 대한 중점을 보여주며, 향후 similar investments in other advanced military technologies가 예상됩니다.

본문 2: 지역 안정성과 경제적 영향

MQ-9B 드론의 도입은 대만의 군사 능력을 강화하는 동시에, 지역 안정성에 미치는 영향을 고려해야 합니다. 특히, 중국의 군사 활동에 대한 감시와 대응 capabilities가 향상됨에 따라, 대만 해협의 긴장 상태가 변화할 수 있습니다. 이는 지역 경제에 미치는 영향을 고려할 때, 투자자들은 이 변화가 대만과 주변 국가들의 경제 활동에 어떤 영향을 미칠지 주의 깊게 관찰해야 합니다. 또한, 드론의 실시간 데이터 링크 기능이 대만의 정보 분석 능력을 향상시킬 수 있어, 군사적 이점뿐만 아니라 경제적 이점도 기대할 수 있습니다.

결론

대만의 MQ-9B 드론 도입은 군사 능력 강화와 지역 안정성에 중요한 변화를 가져올 것으로 예상됩니다. 특히, 드론의 고성능과 실시간 데이터 링크 기능이 대만의 군사 전략에 기여할 수 있을 것입니다. 향후, 대만의 군사 기술 개발과 관련 예산 배분에 대한 동향을 주시하는 것이 중요하며, 이를 통해 지역 안정성과 경제적 영향을 예측할 수 있을 것입니다.

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원문 링크: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMieEFVX3lxTFBIVUlFS3hsLUFhVFZVb1N3WVVIR0JJYW5PMXNRQm1EbzlSNDl6N3BRX3RJbzNVZ2hoRWNMWTJaZExUb1doV1hDTkFKU3F4RjlTaFh4VWpCeDR1aVVlLWpMRHdTY3M3RHpTUm9vRGtZbGtjNFlnNGFlMg?oc=5

First batch of SkyGuardian drones arrives in Taiwan - Taipei Times

The first batch of MQ-9B SkyGuardian drones has arrived in Taiwan, and is being assembled and tested by drone manufacturer General Atomics and the military ahead of flight trials as part of the air force’s acquisition to bolster its aerial surveillance capabilities, a source said yesterday.

The air force allocated a budget of NT$21.7 billion (US$687 million) from 2022 to 2029 to procure four MQ-9B uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) manufactured by General Atomics along with associated equipment such as ground control stations.

The US has agreed to deliver the four MQ-9Bs to Taiwan in two batches this year and next year.

Photo from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems’ Web site

Deputy Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) and Representative to the US Alexander Yui (俞大?) on March 17 attended a handover ceremony in the US for two of the MQ-9Bs.

The source did not specify how many drones were included in the first shipment.

In its fiscal 2026 defense budget proposal, the air force said it plans to develop an uncrewed aerial system capable of long-endurance, round-the-clock surveillance to track Chinese military movements, and monitor air and maritime activity around the Taiwan Strait.

The system should include real-time data links to transmit imagery for immediate analysis to meet intelligence timeliness requirements, it said.

High-altitude long-endurance UAVs, with their extended flight time and payload capacity, could support combat operations and serve as a deterrent by disrupting adversary operations, thereby improving overall defensive effectiveness, it said.

The MQ-9B is a mature intelligence, surveillance and strike-capable uncrewed aerial vehicle, Institute for National Defense and Security Research’s Defense Strategy and Resources Division Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲) said.

The drone has a maximum range of about 6,000km, with endurance of up to 28 hours with a light load and about 14 hours when fully loaded, he said, adding that the drone can carry a maximum payload of 1.7 tonnes.

In addition to a range of advanced sensors, it can also be armed with laser-guided bombs, and the US military has tested it with AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, he said.

The MQ-9B is intended primarily to bolster battlefield intelligence and reconnaissance capabilities in Taiwan rather than serve as a frontline strike platform, a role that differs from its operational use by the US military in conflicts such as Iraq, he said.

In the context of the Taiwan Strait, the MQ-9B is expected to carry out high-risk tactical reconnaissance missions and provide round-the-clock surveillance, particularly during heightened alert periods when Chinese naval and coast guard vessels engage in “gray zone” activity, Su added.

It is seen as helping to fill existing gaps in maritime surveillance coverage, he said, citing an example in 2016 when the US used the same class of drones to gather evidence of North Korean oil smuggling at sea.

The four MQ-9Bs Taiwan bought would only meet basic operational requirements, he said.

Su suggested a likely rotation of one aircraft on duty, one on standby, one used for training, and one undergoing maintenance.

In the event of an emergency, Chinese military exercises, or intensified “gray zone” pressure, up to three aircraft could potentially be deployed at once, he said.

The deeper value of the MQ-9B lies in interoperability, Su said.

By operating the same systems as the US military, Taiwan would be better positioned to share and integrate intelligence in real time with the US, Japan and other partner countries, improving defense coordination across the Indo-Pacific region, he said.

Hsieh Pei-shiue (謝沛學), an assistant research fellow at the institute, wrote in 2020 that the drone is capable of linking to satellite communications networks shared among US allies.

That means Taiwan and its US counterparts could instantly share battlefield intelligence, providing opportunities for the two sides to cooperate during a potential conflict.

The Tourism Administration yesterday announced that it would reward repeat international visitors with incentives of up to NT$8,000 to boost inbound tourism. The incentives are available to all international tourists, it said, adding that repeat visitors would be rewarded with NT$5,000 and would receive an additional NT$3,000 if they bring travel companions. The nation received 2,990,657 inbound visitors during the first quarter, marking a 3.8 percent increase from the same period last year, agency data showed. Japanese nationals are among groups visiting Taiwan the most. About 1.48 million Japanese tourists arrived last year, a year-on-year increase of more than 12

66 FIGHTER JETS: The aircraft is likely undergoing preparations for its transfer to Taiwan — a significant step forward in the nation’s modernization program, a lawmaker said The first of Taiwan’s order of F-16V Block 70 aircraft has been sighted in Texas ahead of delivery, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) said. Taiwan’s first F-16V Block 70 two-seat aircraft, tail number 6831, was seen flying from Lockheed Martin’s production facility in Greenville, South Carolina, to Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth in Texas, Wang wrote on Facebook yesterday. The plane is likely undergoing preparations for its transfer to Taiwan, marking a significant step forward in the Republic of China Air Force’s modernization program, Wang said, citing military analysts. The F-16V Block 70 is a new-build version

‘BRAZEN’: The holiday did not stop China from activities that infringe on Taiwan’s maritime jurisdiction, but the CGA is ready to defend the nation, Kuan Bi-ling said Beijing is intensifying maritime pressure on Taiwan, but the nation will never yield, Ocean Affairs Council Deputy Minister Sung Chen-en (宋承恩) said. The Coast Guard Administration (CGA) has adopted a “shadowing and monitoring” approach to avoid falling into a Chinese trap to escalate tensions and deepen the conflict, Sung said in an interview published yesterday in the Chinese-language Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper). China Coast Guard formations patrolling waters east of Taiwan, as well as official Chinese vessels entering areas around Itu Aba Island (Taiping Island, 太平島) and Pratas Islands (Dongsha Islands, 東沙群島) show Beijing’s attempts to significantly step up

Source: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMieEFVX3lxTFBIVUlFS3hsLUFhVFZVb1N3WVVIR0JJYW5PMXNRQm1EbzlSNDl6N3BRX3RJbzNVZ2hoRWNMWTJaZExUb1doV1hDTkFKU3F4RjlTaFh4VWpCeDR1aVVlLWpMRHdTY3M3RHpTUm9vRGtZbGtjNFlnNGFlMg?oc=5