Taiwan and U.S.-based Kratos Defense (KTOS.O) have successfully tested a new jet-powered attack drone, marking a significant step in the island’s efforts to expand its defensive capabilities amid increasing pressure from China.
The recent tests, conducted at Kratos’ Oklahoma City facility, validated the integration of a Taiwanese mission payload on the Mighty Hornet IV drone, Kratos announced on Thursday. The company described the test as a “milestone” that could lead to deeper collaboration with Taiwan’s National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST).
The project reflects Taiwan’s broader strategy to strengthen security ties with the United States through joint weapons development and manufacturing. NCSIST called the collaboration a “new milestone in U.S.-Taiwan defense technology,” emphasizing its potential to shorten development timelines and provide rapid countermeasures and long-range preemptive strike capabilities.
The Mighty Hornet IV is designed as a low-cost, cruise missile-like drone, with plans to station a “large quantity” of the systems in Taiwan as both a deterrent and a wartime asset, according to Kratos.
China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, has been intensifying military activities near the island, sending warplanes and ships into nearby airspace and waters on an almost daily basis. Taiwan’s Defense Minister reported a 23% increase in detected Chinese military aircraft, including fighters and drones, operating near the island in 2025 compared with the previous year.
