TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Coast Guard Administration has defended its decision to procure drones from Latvia as the result of an open bidding process, reports said Saturday.
A report by Up Media alleged the Coast Guard was contravening the government’s own efforts to promote Taiwan’s drone manufacturing sector. The Coast Guard announced Jan. 5 that Taiwan Color Optics Inc. had won a NT$215.82 million (US$6.82 million) contract, but the report said the drones would be manufactured in Latvia.
There was no apparent link between the contract and the company getting authorization to produce US-based Edge Autonomy’s Penguin C Mk2.5 drone in Taiwan for the Coast Guard, according to Up Media.
The military is procuring 48,750 unmanned vehicles. US and European manufacturers are cooperating with Taiwanese companies to transfer technology or use Taiwanese hardware and software, the report added.
The Coast Guard reacted to the report Saturday, arguing the contract had been awarded through an open and transparent process, per CNA. A first review by an evaluation committee in December had ranked the various bids, with Taiwan Color Optics coming first, the Coast Guard said. The final result of the procedure was made public on Dec. 30.
The case met both the conditions of the government’s indigenous weapon production policies and the practical requirements of the Coast Guard for coastal observation drones, the Coast Guard said.