In a tweet posted on March 14, Taepodong publishes that the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) unveiled four types of drones: Albatross II, Chien Hsiang attack drones (optical guidance and GPS guidance versions), Cardinal III drone (VTOL), and NCIST switchblade-loitering munition. The loitering munition – also nicknamed kamikaze drone – is similar to the US-made AeroVironment Switchblade supplied to Ukraine, Matthew Strong writes in Taiwan News.
The new loitering munition can reach a target located up to 10 kilometers away, the NCSIST said at a press conference Tuesday. The targets could be high-value individuals or vehicles, including ships close to the shore, according to the report. The military-run NCSIST showed 10 drones, including the Albatross I already in production, and prototypes of the Albatross II and the Cardinal III still under development, Matthew Strong reports.