Taiwan's Army Shows Off ALTIUS 600M Attack Drone: Ready to Launch in 15 Minutes
Taiwan's army has publicly shown how it trains on and deploys the US-made ALTIUS 600M attack drone, a sign it is building up asymmetric firepower against a possible Chinese attack.
- The drone can go from unpacking to launch in 15 minutes and loiter for 90 minutes at high altitude with very little noise.
- It is a one-way strike weapon that hunts tanks, bunkers, and other high-value targets from above, with a range over 200 km.
- It just took part in a joint live-fire exercise alongside the air force and navy, testing Taiwan's combined strike ability across all three services.
- Pilots complete a three-week course before returning to artillery units, and the drone is fired from the rear like artillery so fewer troops are exposed to enemy fire.
- The system is made by Anduril, the same family as loitering munitions used in Ukraine, and can be deployed from Humvees.
Outlook: Taiwan plans to add the ALTIUS 600 surveillance version and the larger ALTIUS 700 next, expanding its drone strike and reconnaissance reach across the battlefield.