Taiwan and United States create China-free battery and charger supply for Altius drones
Taiwan and the United States have built a non-Chinese supply chain for batteries and chargers used in Altius-600 drones, with production set up in Taiwan.
According to DPP legislator Wang Ting-yu, Taiwan’s armed forces worked with the United States to develop a supply chain for batteries and chargers that does not rely on Chinese parts for the Altius-600 drone fleet. The original chargers, sourced from China, conflicted with a government policy prohibiting such components, prompting the joint effort. A Taiwanese firm has already received technology transfers and started producing the new batteries, while a separate non-China charger line is slated for delivery under the procurement schedule.
The Ministry of National Defense recently disclosed a NT$26.9 billion acquisition of Altius-700M anti-armor attack drones and Altius-600 ISR drones, with the first batch arriving fully charged. The Altius-600M is treated as expendable ammunition, allowing batteries to be swapped or recharged in the field. The new supply chain could eventually position Taiwan as a supplier to Anduril’s worldwide customers.
