Taiwan has decided not to put the US-built RQ-4 Global Hawk on its arms procurement list, but to develop an indigenous unmanned aircraft system for the country’s air force instead.
Minister of National Defence Kao Hua-chu said the air force had identified the need to acquire unmanned aircraft, but had not included the US-built reconnaissance aircraft system on its arms procurement list.
Hua-chu said the military-run Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology was already conducting research to develop the unmanned surveillance aircraft system.
The minister said this following a report in the China Times that Japan was considering to procure the RQ-4 Global Hawk after the US military formally stationed the aircraft in Guam in September.
The minister also said it was still not clear if the US would agree to sell Japan the advanced RQ-4 Global Hawks, according to Focus Taiwan News Channel.
