The Smart Dragon, Taiwan’s new unmanned underwater vehicle ( UUV), also known as the Huilong, has been revealed in new imagery that shows the submarine type’s increased combat potential, including twin torpedo tubes, according to The War Zone.
The War Zone mentions that Smart Dragon, developed by the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST ) and Lungteh Shipbuilding, is currently a testbed for sonar and underwater mines, with trials beginning in 2020.
The report says that the 30-meter-long, 100-ton UUV, which lacks its engine technique and is towed during trials, may influence potential Chinese underground war strategies, especially in repelling a possible Chinese invasion.
Although it is noted that the Smart Dragon is generally a test art, its design suggests possible applications for functional roles, including deploying smaller UUVs for surveillance and reach operations.
The Smart Dragon’s possible military programs, according to Chinese Navy Chief of Staff Chiu Chun-jung, were highlighted in an August 2024 Taiwan News article, where it stated that autonomous flying, floor, and underwater vehicles would increase fighting capabilities.
The Japanese Navy is closely monitoring developments in interconnected war, including those involving intelligence and surveillance.
In a June 2024 report for the Center for a New American Security ( CNAS ), Stacie Pettyjohn and other authors mention that Taiwan is strengthening its defenses against potential Chinese amphibious assaults using UUVs and other drones.
Pettyjohn and others claim that these UUVs could attack Chinese surface vessels and Chinese ships while crossing the Taiwan Strait while pursuing high-value regiment transports and crucial vessels.
They add that larger UUVs perhaps launch underwater mines near good landing areas in an effort to thwart and direct Chinese forces while making them more vulnerable to flying and missile strikes.
Taiwan is working on developing unmanned surface vehicles ( USVs ) in addition to UUVs. In April 2024, Asia Times reported that Taiwan’s National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST ) had initiated a US$ 25 million, two-year software to create at least 200 USVs by 2026.
These arteries, weighing under four loads and mildly stable from up to 70 meters, are designed for murder attacks against PLA Navy boats. Taiwan’s private business, including Thunder Tiger Corporation, has contributed models like the Seawolf 400 and Shark 400.
In order to combat first Taiwanese attacks and properly fend off an aquatic or aerial invasion, Taiwan has assembled a huge number of small, mobile, inexpensive, and robust anti-air and anti-ship systems.
In a 2022 article in the Journal of Policy and Strategy, it is mentioned that Taiwan’s quill method uses UUVs to strengthen its threats against possible Chinese anger. The plan aims to increase China’s charge of invasion by creating a fierce deterrent.
The use of UUVs alongside other asymmetric capabilities like sea mines, coastal defense missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles ( UAVs ) is central to this approach. The article makes the case that these resources are difficult to find and destination, which makes it more difficult for Taiwan to impede Chinese landing businesses and make an amphibious assault more difficult.
The UUVs are deemed to be especially useful for monitoring and protecting fragile coastal areas and islands, where they can covertly follow enemy movements and aid anti-ship operations.
The article mentions that UUV systems aids Taiwan’s broader aim of transforming its defenses to focus on flexibility, endurance and cost-effectiveness, moving away from traditional, large-scale assets like warrior jets, which are less useful against a full-scale invasion.
It says that by bolstering Taiwan’s asymmetric capabilities, UUVs are critical in making the self-governing island “indigestible” to China, reinforcing a strategy intended to deny China any expectation of a swift, uncontested victory.
However, Taiwan faces significant hurdles in scaling up its drone industry. Harun Talha Ayanoglu mentions that Taiwan faces a significant challenge in closing the world’s largest drone manufacturer, China, in an article from April 2024 for Domino Theory.
In response to that capability gap, Ayanoglu says that Taiwan has launched the” Drone National Team” program, committing NTD 50 billion ( approximately US$ 1.5 billion ) to acquire drones and subsidize up to 50 % of research and development costs for private companies.
He says the strategic plan aims to deploy 3, 200 UAVs by mid-2024 and acquire 700 military-grade and 7, 000 commercial-grade drones by 2028.
However, Ayanoglu points out that the feasibility of these targets remains uncertain, as drones ‘ effectiveness depends on integration within sophisticated operational frameworks, including electronic warfare.
He makes the case that both combat experience and economic viability are important considerations. The diplomatic isolation of Taiwan makes it less able to export advanced technology, and it also prevents the development of a scale-based drone industry. Despite these challenges, Ayanoglu notes Taiwan collaborates with European, American and Israeli drone producers to accelerate its drone capabilities.
However, Taiwan’s porcupine strategy may not be the right approach for its defense. In a May 2023 article by the Global Taiwan Institute, Wallace Gregson and John Dotson criticized the strategy, claiming that it is insufficient to meet the island’s current security requirements.
According to Gregson and Dotson, this strategy is too passive and does not go against China’s People’s Liberation Army ( PLA ) in a proactive and aggressive way.
They point out that the porcupine metaphor is criticized for its inability to maneuver and use offensive force, which are prerequisites for contemporary warfare. Instead, they advocate for a” Honey Badger Strategy”, emphasizing active defense, agility and the ability to strike preemptively.
Gregson and Dotson advocate that Taiwan’s forces be widely distributed, resilient, and well-equipped to battle the enemy from a distance. They claim that the honey badger, which is renowned for its fierce defense and ferocity, is viewed as a more appropriate symbol for Taiwan’s defense strategy, which shows how necessary it is to take a more assertive and dynamic approach to deter and defeat China.
However, a proposed Honey Badger strategy for Taiwan may escalate Cross-Strait tensions, increasing the risk of unintended consequences.
It may also be resource-intensive to implement. According to David Sacks, Taiwan’s recent decision to increase its defense budget by nearly 6 % to almost US$ 20 billion was criticized for insufficiently addressing the growing threat from China, according to an article from the Council of Foreign Relations in August 2024.
Sacks notes that Taiwan’s defense spending at 2.5 % of GDP is below the 3 % target and lags behind countries like Israel, widening the gap with China’s rapidly growing defense budget.
He contends that Taiwan needs more resources for asymmetric defense, including uncrewed systems and drones, and that it needs to increase defense spending to 5 % of GDP for stronger deterrence and greater US and allied support.