Taiwan firm controls 6 unmanned surface vessels from single station

Taipei, Dec. 1 (CNA) Thunder Tiger Group, a Taiwanese drone manufacturer, said it simultaneously operated six SeaShark unmanned surface vessels (USV) from a single control station during a sea trial late last month, calling the operation a major milestone in Taiwan's unmanned vessel development.

The Taichung-based company said in a news release on Monday that the sea trial at Dapeng Bay in Pingtung County on Nov. 28 showcased its advanced USV control and AI systems and successfully carried out multiple tactical formations and rapid, second-level maneuvers.

The six-meter-long drone boats, named SeaShark, maintained 100 percent communication stability under electromagnetic interference by using a United Kingdom-made military anti-interference frequency-hopping system, the company said.

The vessels also feature a low-radar-cross-section hull design that significantly reduces the chance of detection, it said.

Thunder Tiger said its SeaShark range carries precision sensors, swarm-control technology, and a stable communications network capable of real-time information exchange and dynamic adjustments.

"The SeaShark series of suicide unmanned vessels will become the sharpest asymmetric vehicular weapon for defending the Taiwan Strait," it said.

The company hopes to expand cooperative testing with the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) and the Ministry of National Defense (MND) to meet operational needs.

The company said it aims to secure a 2026 defense contract, citing its high localization rate, completed military-specification verification, and production readiness.