Taiwanese shipbuilding corporation CSBC has held a demonstration of a new development from the military department, purposed to help repel a potential landing operation by mainland China. The island republic decided to follow the strategy already proven effective by Ukraine, that is, to use naval drones as a deterrent. The inspiration source found in the Ukrainian experience, an example of effective asymmetric warfare, was explicitly noted by the CSBC Chairman Cheng-Hung Huang.
The unmanned surface vehicle was called the Endeavor Manta, an official Taiwan defense ministry outlet Youth Daily News reports. This boat is a versatile platform that can be either a weapons carrier or a one-way attack (kamikaze) drone. The form factor follows the common trimaran layout, 8.6 meters in length and 3.7 meters in width, it implements low visibility with sharp faceted surfaces. The USV can carry up to 1 ton of payload, reaching a maximum speed of 35 knots (65 km/h).
Read more: Inspired by Ukraine, Germany Explores Surface Drones as a Potential Replacement for K130 Corvettes
In the photos and videos published by Taiwanese media, we can notice that the drone has a cockpit for a pilot. Apparently, the manned option was left open for easier testing or operating in safe environments.
Another detail that draws attention is the multitude of communication tools. As announced, Endeavor Manta not only has satellite connection but also uses mobile 4G and conventional radio comms. Although the type of satellite communication is not disclosed, the dome shape is typical for the OneWeb parabolic antenna.
Besides, the satcom system constitutes 45% of the drone's production cost, as Chairman Cheng-Hung noted during the presentation. This also hints that OneWeb from Eutelsat was chosen for this purpose. Another factor is that the Taiwan government ordered the launch of OneWeb nationwide coverage in fall 2024.
At the same time, Taiwan is still in the "pending" status in the plans to expand Starlink satellite coverage provided by Elon Musk's SpaceX company. Moreover, the new drone could be used for attacks in the territorial waters of mainland China, where Starlink connection would likely not work. Starlink has been instrumental for the Ukrainian USV counterparts — the Magura V5, SeaBaby, and a few other sea drone models.
The reliance on 4G and radio communications in Taiwan is also needed to attack ships approaching the island. This suggests that Endeavor Manta will operate quite often in the coastal area.
According to CSBC, its maritime drone has high levels of navigation autonomy and can even join with peers for swarm tactics: up to 50 units can be operated simultaneously via one remote control device. The strikes can be delivered through suicide attacks or using miniature torpedoes.
Read more: Ukrainian Magura V5 Drone Swarms Break Through, Overloading russian Defenses with New Upgrades
