Taiwan and US startup Vatn partner on undersea drones

Taiwan has entered into a partnership with the United States-based defense technology startup Vatn Systems to develop modular undersea drone technology. Signed on behalf of Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) involves collaboration with the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST).

The agreement focuses on the joint development of artificial intelligence-enabled command-and-control systems for undersea operations. A key component of the partnership is the exploration of Vatn’s S12 autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), a modular platform designed to be customized for various mission profiles, including different ranges, sensor packages, and accuracy levels.

This strategic move reflects Taiwan's effort to modernize its naval defense through agile, low-cost, and scalable technology. By partnering with smaller tech firms like Vatn, Taiwan aims to find alternatives to traditional, high-cost defense contractors and longer development timelines. The deal also includes provisions for supply-chain and sustainment support based within Taiwan.