Geosat Aerospace and Technology is set to produce Turkish-designed Jackal drones in Taiwan
The company recently signed a memorandum of understanding with British firm Flyby Technology for the purchase, technology transfer and manufacturing of up to 160 of the unmanned aerial vehicle.
In the press release announcing the MOU with Flyby Technology, Geosat said it would further develop and manufacture a new Jackal generation in the 160 drones, with the British firm providing payload solutions, testing and production planning.
The original design for the multipurpose Jackal was for civilian use, Murat Islioglu, general manager of Turkish business Fly BVLOS Technology, told Defense News.
The GEOSAT-Flyby agreement, which was signed during the Taipei Aerospace Defense Technology Exhibition held from Sept. 14 to 16, is the most recent concrete move among Taiwan’s initiatives to overcome China’s drone superiority.
In July, Reuters reported that Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen has created a “Drone National Team” program. The team gathers the country’s commercial drone makers, aviation and aerospace firms and the military to fast-track the creation of a self-sufficient drone supply chain.
Based on a government planning document that Reuters reviewed for the report, Taiwan aims to build over 3,200 military drones by mid-2024.