A flight-tested attack drone similar to Iran’s Shahed model that its Taiwanese maker says could reach military targets in mainland China is meant to swamp PLA air defences, analysts said.
Drawing on battlefield lessons from Ukraine and the Middle East, military experts broadly agree on the utility of such low-cost systems, but differ on how the drone could be deployed in a conflict with Beijing should it enter service.
While some see greater value in targeting People’s Liberation Army forces in the event of a landing on Taiwan, others point to strikes against airfields and ports on the mainland.
The weapon at the centre of the debate is Thunder Tiger’s Papa Delta PD-136, which the company showcased at the Association of the United States Army defence exhibition in Washington earlier this month as it sought international defence-industry partners.