A Taiwanese shipbuilder has introduced an “unmanned boat” as a “universal test platform” with potential “military applications” based on its design. According to Liberty Times, officials from CITIC Shipbuilding revealed that Taiwan’s private industry is collaborating to support similar government initiatives.

CITIC’s unmanned boat, with a fully loaded displacement of less than 20 tons, offers a wide range of potential uses. It can return home autonomously and may also be utilized for tasks such as mine clearance.

Another notable unmanned surface vessel (USV) developed by the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) is remotely controlled and inspired by Ukraine’s use of USVs in the Black Sea, where Kyiv has successfully sunk several Russian warships since mid-2023.

Taiwan’s strategy aligns with the Overall Defense Concept (ODC) doctrine proposed by former Taiwanese Chief of Defense Staff Admiral Lee Hsi-ming. This doctrine calls for acquiring thousands of low-cost expendable drones, missiles, unmanned naval systems, fast-attack craft, missile boats, and mine-layers to sustain a prolonged, multi-layered campaign of attrition.

The ODC emphasizes avoiding large capital and conventional systems like fighter jets, tanks, or artillery guns, which would be less effective against the diverse threats posed by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Army, Navy, and Air Force.

While opinions vary on the balance between asymmetric systems and traditional weapons, the mass production of modular, multifunctional autonomous USVs presents a significant threat to PLA Navy warships and amphibious landing vessels that might enforce a blockade around Taiwan.

The ODC aims not to completely defeat the PLA Navy but to disrupt and complicate Chinese naval operations long enough for assistance to arrive from allies like Japan or the United States.