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Saturday 28 March 2026

Taiwan pivots toward Europe and global democratic alliances as US-China AI race intensifies

As the global AI arms race intensifies, Taiwan is positioning itself as the primary AI partner for nations besides the US and China. Wedged between these two geopolitical giants, Taiwan is leveraging its dominance in AI servers and semiconductors to foster deeper collaborations with Germany, France, and neighboring nations.

Friday 27 March 2026

Taiwan machine tools emerge as key in US-Taiwan economic 'Golden Era,' says AIT

The 2026 Taiwan International Machine Tool Show (TMTS), an annual machine tool industry exhibition, has returned to Taichung this year, a move seen as particularly significant given the city's role as a central hub for the machine tool industry cluster. Raymond Greene, director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), attended the opening ceremony to show support.

Friday 27 March 2026

Taiwan reviews National Security Act, targets hybrid threats; no link to TSMC's Wei-jen Lo case

Taiwan's Legislative Yuan Internal Administration Committee held its second public hearing on proposed amendments to the National Security Act on March 26. Attendance from civil society groups and academic experts was limited, and only a small number of lawmakers spoke.

Wednesday 25 March 2026

Taiwan defense groups urge support for drone industry in face of budget delays

As countries worldwide actively develop their drone industries and build autonomous supply chains, Taiwan's progress remains stalled. In a statement issued on March 22, Taiwan's Executive Yuan stated that drones are critical to the strategic deployment of democratic supply chains and to the military capabilities of the armed forces, urging the Legislative Yuan to expedite the review and approval of relevant budgets.

Tuesday 24 March 2026

Boston Dynamics rival Ghost Robotics brings its Pentagon-proven robotic dogs to Taiwan

As the US Department of Defense (DoD) accelerates the adoption of AI and autonomous systems, quadruped robots have emerged as a key area of focus — and a growing opportunity for developers eyeing military applications. Among US-based manufacturers, Boston Dynamics is the household name, but it is Ghost Robotics that has staked its future on military contracts. Where Boston Dynamics has shifted toward commercialization and stepped back from weaponization, Ghost Robotics went the other direction, directly targeting the defense market and cementing itself as Boston Dynamics' primary rival in that space.

Tuesday 24 March 2026

Ghost Robotics seeks Taiwan supply chain ties for quadruped robots

Ghost Robotics, a US-based developer of quadrupedal unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), has expressed interest in collaborating with Taiwan's supply chain as it moves to enter the local market. Discussions between the two sides are already at an advanced stage, according to supply chain sources.

Monday 23 March 2026

Brinno targets growth with time-lapse, visual AI, and defense imaging push for 2026

Brinno outlined time-lapse photography, visual AI, and defense imaging as its three core business pillars for 2026 at a spring banquet on March 20, saying the focus will accelerate R&D investment and growth through its global distributor network.

Monday 23 March 2026

Ventec eyes double-digit growth in 2026 amid product price hikes and niche material expansion

Niche copper-clad laminate (CCL) manufacturer Ventec expects to achieve double-digit revenue growth in 2026, driven by ongoing product price increases and strategic expansion into specialized markets such as defense aerospace and semiconductor test interfaces. Currently, special materials account for 50% of its revenue, positioning the company for what it predicts will be a robust order fulfillment phase.

Monday 23 March 2026

Thunder Tiger builds US manufacturing base to power China-free drone supply chain

Taiwanese drone maker Thunder Tiger signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) on March 16. The agreement centers on joint drone research, technology exchanges, education and training, and autonomous flight testing. Together, the two aim to advance the Taiwan-US non-Chinese drone supply chain ecosystem.

Friday 20 March 2026

Scaling the final frontier: Supply chain strategies from Paris Space Week 2026

With a sharp focus on "New Space" industrialization, Paris Space Week 2026 (PSW) highlights a critical shift: the space industry is moving away from bespoke, low-volume "lab work" toward high-volume, standardized manufacturing. For the tech supply chain — particularly electronics and semiconductor players — this evolution represents a massive market opening, provided they can navigate the new requirements of digital transparency and cyber-resilience.

Wednesday 18 March 2026

US Army inks US$20 billion deal with Anduril, consolidating procurement to accelerate AI-driven military modernization

The US Army has signed a sweeping corporate contract with defense tech startup Anduril Industries, valued at up to US$20 billion over 10 years. Covering software, hardware, infrastructure, and related support services, the deal underscores the Pentagon's aggressive push to integrate Silicon Valley technologies and innovations for military modernization.

Tuesday 17 March 2026

Taiwan's US$625 million drone ambition: Becoming the West's go-to supplier

Frequent global conflicts in recent years have sharply driven up demand for drones, prompting many countries to accelerate the development of related industries. Backed by government policy support and growing international demand, Taiwan's drone sector is expanding rapidly. 2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for the industry, with total output value expected to approach NT$20 billion (US$625.3 million).

Saturday 14 March 2026

Interview: EdgeRunner AI CEO on navigating ethical and strategic row over military AI

Recent years have seen the dawn of a new era in warfare as militaries incorporate AI technologies into their operations. With countries seeking to gain the military edge, companies like EdgeRunner AI argue that they are the next frontier in warfare, creating products better suited for battle than LLMs such as Anthropic's Claude.

Friday 13 March 2026

War engulfs the Gulf: worst aviation crisis since Covid

The war in the Middle East has triggered the most severe disruption to Gulf aviation hubs since the Covid-19 pandemic, forcing airlines to suspend flights and reroute global travel corridors amid missile and drone attacks across the region, according to an Aviation Week podcast and international media reports.

Friday 13 March 2026

China claims T1200 carbon fiber mass production, opening doors to semiconductors and robotics

China's advanced materials sector has made new strides. China National Building Material Group (CNBM) unveiled a domestically developed T1200-grade ultra-high-strength carbon fiber at the JEC World 2026 composites exhibition in Paris, stating it has achieved production capacity at the hundred-ton scale.

Thursday 12 March 2026

Compound semiconductors emerge as critical components in modern air defense radar systems, as seen during Iran conflict

Iran's air defense shortcomings amid persistent US and Israeli strikes underscore the growing importance of high-power radar components and the supply chains that provide them. South Korea's Sky Bow 2 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has reportedly intercepted multiple Iranian missiles at an over 90% success rate, highlighting capability disparities.

Tuesday 10 March 2026

Chinese satellite images reveal US military buildup in Middle East

Chinese geospatial intelligence firm MizarVision has drawn scrutiny after publishing high-resolution commercial satellite imagery tracking US military aircraft and naval assets involved in operations against Iran, highlighting how commercially available imagery and artificial intelligence (AI) are expanding access to battlefield surveillance.

Tuesday 10 March 2026

US NDAA and BAA policies boost investment in Taiwan's defense supply chain

The US is significantly expanding drone procurement amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, aiming to acquire more than 300,000 drones before 2027. To achieve this massive enhancement of military capabilities within such a short timeframe, the US is also adopting a competitive, multi-supplier model alongside domestic mass production, to diversify supply chain risks and accelerate capacity expansion. This has spurred related supply chains into action as they compete for entry into the US defense industry.

Monday 9 March 2026

Radbon sees boost from resumption of deferred orders, expects long-term growth from aerospace, defense

Connector and cable assembly manufacturer Radbon Electronics has steadily deepened its presence in the defense and aerospace markets, with its investments gradually converting into tangible order momentum.

Friday 6 March 2026

Taiwan and US to jointly boost investments in five trusted industries

Taiwan's government is actively promoting developments in the "Five Trusted Industry Sectors": semiconductors, AI, military, security and surveillance, and next-generation communications. As the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) points out, the strategic significance of these industries helps to strengthen Taiwan's position in the global supply chain, enhance competitiveness across various industrial sectors, create high-paying jobs, and improve national security and resilience.

Friday 6 March 2026

Taiwan refocuses nearly US$9.5bn chip program on drone, robotics and LEO satellite chips

US and Israeli strikes on Iran have sharply raised tensions in the Middle East. The operation seeks to weaken Iran's military capability and reshape the regional balance, but with no ground forces involved and attacks relying mainly on airstrikes, its political and military outcomes remain uncertain. Industry observers warn prolonged conflict could weigh on global economic growth. The situation has also reinforced concerns in Taiwan that independent design and manufacturing capabilities for defense technologies are increasingly critical.

Friday 6 March 2026

Exclusive Interview: How Space West is engineering the UK's defense identity

In the high-stakes landscape of the UK's space economy, regional specialization is becoming a matter of strategic survival. While Scotland has staked its claim on launch services and the Midlands on high-volume manufacturing, the West of England is consolidating a critical niche: Space West. This burgeoning cluster is positioning itself as the UK's primary nexus for secure communications, robotics, and defense-integrated innovation.

Friday 6 March 2026

Commentary: US-Israel conflict spotlights Grok's prediction vs. Claude's deployment

Ever since US and Israel joint forces launched attacks on Iran, widespread debate has erupted about the use of AI in warfare. On online platforms like Reddit, claims have surfaced that the US military has employed Anthropic's Claude and xAI's Grok models during the conflict in Iran, suggesting that large AI models have played a critical role in their operations. However, these assertions require a careful look at the facts.

Thursday 5 March 2026

Anthropic reportedly reopens Pentagon AI talks after blacklist threat

Negotiations between AI startup Anthropic and the US Department of Defense have resumed after talks collapsed last week, while a leaked internal memo criticizing OpenAI's Pentagon agreement has raised tensions. The episode highlights growing disputes between AI developers and defense officials over how advanced models should be used in military operations.

Thursday 5 March 2026

Column: US drone policy reshapes supply chain opportunities for Taiwan

On June 6, 2025, US President Donald Trump signed two executive orders—"Unleashing American Drone Dominance" and "Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty"—mandating that the US drone industry exclude technology, parts, and materials from controlled countries (China, Russia, Iran, North Korea). The orders encourage adopting allied technologies to build an autonomous, resilient domestic ecosystem supporting the low-altitude economy and critical defense needs.

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