Small Taiwanese operator Apex Aviation, known for its pilot training and charter services, is now offering surveillance flights to the government, which has begun turning to civilian companies to support new technologies under its “whole-of-society resilience” initiative.
The government has invited businesses, research groups and other organisations to take on more active roles, including backing up communications and logistics, shoring up cyber defences and, potentially contributing to surveillance and intelligence-gathering.
While common in countries such as the United States, this joint military-civilian approach is new for Taiwan, whose armed forces are increasingly hard-pressed responding to daily Chinese incursions in the skies and waters around the island.
Taipei has said it aims to boost defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2030 and will introduce a $40 billion supplementary budget, including “significant” new U.S. arms purchases.
Apex is seeking a role in that build-up. But unlike companies that have received defence contracts so far, the airline wants to run its surveillance operation in-house, while remaining open to transferring equipment to authorities.
Open To New Ideas
Taiwan’s defence ministry has so far been cautious about external partners, it is able to effectively monitor Chinese activities and currently has no plans for cooperation. But it said it was open to new ideas.
Taiwan’s coast guard said it is working to boost its own reconnaissance capacity and will prioritise drones before gradually expanding the effort to include manned aircraft.
Apex has spent more than T$400 million ($13.07 million) to convert an 11-seater Italian-made Tecnam P2012 Traveller propeller plane into a reconnaissance aircraft equipped with a U.S.-made synthetic aperture radar under its fuselage.
Apex said it could also market the relatively low-cost patrol service to friendly governments in the region that monitor Chinese activity, adding it can quickly build a reconnaissance fleet with both aircraft and drones.
Sea Drones At The Forefront
Apex has been buoyed by a growing government push for companies with limited or no defence pedigree to develop products for military use.
One of the initiative’s biggest highlights is a new generation of sea drones developed by remote control model car, aircraft and boat producer Thunder Tiger.
The company’s SeaShark 800 drone can carry 1,200 kg (2,600 lbs) of explosives and travel up to 500 km (310 miles), and featured prominently at a summer “beauty show” where operators offered their wares to Taiwan’s military.
One senior Taiwan security official said joint military-civilian initiatives were an idea the government needed to take seriously.
(With inputs from Reuters)
