Taiwan Firm Controls 6 Unmanned Surface Vessels from Single Station

Pingtung county: Thunder Tiger Group, a Taiwanese drone manufacturer, announced it simultaneously operated six SeaShark unmanned surface vessels (USV) from a single control station during a sea trial late last month, marking a significant milestone in Taiwan's unmanned vessel development.

According to Focus Taiwan, the Taichung-based company revealed in a news release that the sea trial conducted at Dapeng Bay demonstrated its advanced USV control and AI systems. The operation successfully involved multiple tactical formations and rapid, second-level maneuvers. The six-meter-long SeaShark drone boats maintained consistent communication stability even under electromagnetic interference, utilizing a United Kingdom-made military anti-interference frequency-hopping system.

The company highlighted that the SeaShark vessels boast a low-radar-cross-section hull design, which lowers the probability of detection. Additionally, the SeaShark range includes precision sensors, swarm-control technology, and a stable communications network capable of real-time information exchange and dynamic adjustments.

Thunder Tiger emphasized that the SeaShark series of suicide unmanned vessels is poised to be a pivotal asymmetric vehicular weapon for defending the Taiwan Strait. The firm expressed its intention to expand cooperative testing with the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) and the Ministry of National Defense (MND) to align with operational requirements.

Looking ahead, Thunder Tiger aims to secure a 2026 defense contract, underscoring its high localization rate, completed military-specification verification, and production readiness.