Taiwan, following Ukraine's experience, is accelerating the development of maritime drones due to a possible Chinese invasion

Taiwan is actively developing a program to create armed unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), drawing on Ukraine's experience in the Black Sea. According to Naval News, Ukrainian naval drones, which have successfully attacked the Russian fleet since 2022, have become an example for Taiwanese engineers.

Naval drones could be a key element of Taiwan's defense in the event of a military conflict with China. These drones could reportedly disrupt the logistics and battle plans of the Chinese navy, inflicting significant losses in the early stages of an invasion.

Currently, Taiwan is testing several USV models equipped with various types of weapons. Among them is the Kuaiqi drone, which is closest to the Ukrainian counterparts. It has a low-profile body, two Cox diesel engines, Kymeta satellite communications, a nose charge for a ram, a hangar for quadcopters, and six launch tubes for Jing Feng-type loitering munitions.

Another model is the Endeavour Manta. It is a trimaran with a composite hull, 8.6 m long and 3.7 m wide. It is equipped with two Honda engines, optionally supports the presence of a crew, has a fairing with a satellite communication antenna and a hull made of fiberglass, which reduces radar visibility.

The Sea Shark 800 drone is a large motorboat with twin engines that are completely enclosed, likely to provide increased protection for this drone from damage.

The Piranha 9 is 9 meters long, has a hull with stealth lines and a hangar for kamikaze drones. Equipped with two internal motors with water cannons, the hull is covered with radio-absorbing material, which reduces its visibility to radar.

The first samples of Taiwanese USVs were presented in 2023, and in June 2025, a demonstration of a new wave of developments with the participation of 12 companies took place. Testing of Taiwanese naval drones is still ongoing and some information about them remains classified.

Although the effectiveness of these drones in a real conflict has not yet been confirmed, their presence could complicate the planning of a military operation for the PRC, especially if Taiwan is able to deploy them in large numbers and keep the configuration secret.

It also became known earlier that Poland is testing swarms of cheap naval drones in the Baltic Sea for a possible war with Russia.