Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) has confirmed it will acquire 36 Rui Yuan II unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) under a newly approved special defense budget worth NT$12.6 billion (approximately USD $402 million). The multiyear procurement—scheduled from 2026 to 2029—represents one of the island’s most significant investments in unmanned intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.
The confirmation ends months of speculation that the Rui Yuan II program might face postponement or cancellation due to fiscal pressures. Defense officials clarified in a briefing to the Legislative Yuan that the project is included in full under the special budget, allowing the military to proceed without further delays.
According to the MND, the Rui Yuan II drones are expected to replace a portion of Taiwan’s aging manned surveillance aircraft fleet, generating substantial savings in fuel, maintenance, and operational labor. The shift reflects an accelerating transition across the Taiwanese armed forces toward unmanned, cost-efficient ISR platforms capable of operating in contested environments.
Internal procurement documents previously identified the acquisition under the designation Project Rui Jiu, outlining the purchase of 36 composite airframes for medium-altitude UAVs beginning in 2026. In addition, Taiwan plans to procure nine electronic intelligence (ELINT) receiver suites tailored for the new drone’s payload configurations, significantly enhancing its signals intelligence (SIGINT) capabilities. The ELINT sets will allow the Rui Yuan II to intercept, classify, and track adversary emissions across multiple frequencies—a key requirement amid growing electronic warfare activity in the Taiwan Strait.
While procurement funding has now been secured, defense officials emphasized that the NT$150 million (USD $4.79 million) contract awarded recently to the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) falls under research and development, not mass production. Under that contract, NCSIST will build four prototype UAVs fitted with different mission payloads. Following flight trials and performance evaluations, the military will select a final configuration for full-rate production.
The Rui Yuan II is a domestically designed medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAV built with advanced composite materials to reduce weight and improve structural resilience. Featuring a 12-meter wingspan and powered by an air-cooled rotary engine, the aircraft has an operational range of up to 2,000 kilometers. It incorporates a frequency-hopping communication system, multi-band navigation antennas, and hardened anti-jamming protections—critical features for long-endurance ISR missions amid rising electronic interference from the People’s Liberation Army.
The platform’s sophistication was demonstrated during a major live-fire exercise last year, when the Rui Yuan II provided real-time maritime target acquisition for precision-guided munitions. Using microwave transmission links, Ka-band satellite relay, and even mobile 4G/5G networks, the drone successfully transmitted electro-optical and radar imagery back to Taiwan’s operational command center. Defense analysts noted that the integration of multiple communication pathways ensures redundancy and improves reliability during high-threat missions.
For ground-controlled operations, the UAV supports microwave line-of-sight links out to roughly 300 kilometers. With satellite connectivity, however, its operational reach expands dramatically, enabling deep-range reconnaissance across the Taiwan Strait and into surrounding waters. This extended range is seen as a vital capability as Taiwan invests in a layered ISR network designed to detect, track, and respond to potential threats earlier and with higher fidelity.
The Rui Yuan II program builds on the earlier Rui Yuan I project, part of Taiwan’s broader push for indigenous defense autonomy. Historically, the island has relied on manned reconnaissance aircraft such as the RC-70 for regional ISR tasks. However, increasing operational costs, pilot shortages, and the growing risk posed by Chinese air defenses have accelerated the move toward a drone-centric surveillance model.
Local defense industry sources indicate that the Rui Yuan II’s satellite and microwave communications architecture was co-developed with Taiwan’s civilian space and communications sectors, reflecting deepening cross-sector collaboration in defense technology. The drone’s modular composite airframe is also undergoing compatibility testing for potential future integration of lightweight strike payloads, though the current procurement focuses strictly on surveillance and electronic warfare missions.
With the special budget secured and prototype development underway, Taiwanese officials say the Rui Yuan II will become a cornerstone of the nation’s next-generation ISR network, enhancing situational awareness and strengthening deterrence in one of the world’s most contested strategic regions.
