DSET Co-Hosts “Taiwan Shield” Roundtable, Calls for Enhanced Taiwan–Europe Counter-UAS Cooperation - Research Institute for Democracy, Society and Emerging Technology
AI Analysis
A roundtable discussion co-hosted by DSET and several international organizations focused on bolstering Taiwan's counter-UAS capabilities through enhanced cooperation with European partners. Taiwan has prioritized counter-drone systems for critical infrastructure, but faces challenges in acquisition planning and industrial capacity. Lessons from Ukraine – adaptability, layered defense, and integration – are considered crucial for Taiwan's strategy.
Key Takeaways
- Taiwan formally designated strengthening counter-UAS for critical infrastructure as a key strategic priority in January 2026.
- Taiwan's counter-UAS acquisition and industrial capacity lag behind its UAV/UAS development.
- Ukraine's successful counter-UAS employment is attributed to Adaptability, Layered Defense, and Integration.
- DSET is advocating for a 'non-red' supply chain for drone industrial ecosystem development.
- Key organizations involved: DSET, Alliance of Democracies, European Values Center for Security Policy, TNDIA, and MyDefence.
Why It Matters
Taiwan's vulnerability to drone attacks, particularly given its geopolitical situation, necessitates rapid improvements in its counter-UAS defenses. European expertise and potential supply chain diversification are critical as Taiwan seeks to build resilience and avoid reliance on potentially unreliable sources. This initiative signals a proactive approach to addressing a growing threat and demonstrates a willingness to collaborate internationally.
DSET Co-Hosts “Taiwan Shield” Roundtable, Calls for Enhanced Taiwan–Europe Counter-UAS Cooperation - Research Institute for Democracy, Society and Emerging Technology
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DSET Co-Hosts “Taiwan Shield” Roundtable, Calls for Enhanced Taiwan–Europe Counter-UAS Cooperation
On April 29, 2026, the Research Institute for Democracy, Society, and Emerging Technology (DSET) co-organized a closed-door roundtable titled “Taiwan Shield: Drone Defense Systems in Modern Warfare” together with the Alliance of Democracies, the European Values Center for Security Policy, the Taiwan National Drone Industry Association (TNDIA), and Danish counter-drone manufacturer MyDefence. The event brought together government, industry, and academic representatives from Taiwan and Europe to examine the latest developments in drone and counter-UAS systems on the Middle Eastern and Ukrainian battlefields, and to explore Taiwan-Europe cooperation, the strengthening of Taiwan’s counter-UAS deployment, and pathways for bilateral collaboration.
DSET President Wen-Ling Tu delivered the opening remarks. Dr. Tu noted that over the past year, DSET’s national security team has published three policy reports on Taiwan-U.S., Taiwan-Europe, and Taiwan-Ukraine cooperation, with the aim of providing actionable policy recommendations to the government and its partners while advancing the development of a “non-red” supply-chain drone industrial ecosystem.
Speaking also in her capacity as a member of the Presidential Office’s Whole-of-Society Defense Resilience Committee, where she oversees energy and critical infrastructure, Dr. Tu highlighted that the government formally designated the strengthening of counter-drone systems for critical infrastructure as a key strategic priority in January of this year, making counter-UAS capabilities an equally urgent priority for Taiwan. She noted, however, that compared to the relatively clear procurement timelines and development trajectories already in place for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and unmanned surface vessels (UAS), Taiwan’s counter-UAS acquisition planning and industrial capacity building still have significant room for acceleration. Dr. Tu expressed her hope that the forum would help build consensus among all parties and deepen substantive cooperation with partners to expedite the deployment of these critical capabilities.
At the post-event press conference, DSET Policy Analyst Cathy Fang shared key takeaways from the roundtable. Fang noted that discussions centered on the operational application of counter-drone systems on the Ukrainian battlefield, identifying three core success factors behind Ukraine’s effective employment of counter-UAS capabilities: Adaptability, Layered Defense, and Integration. She emphasized that these lessons carry important implications for Taiwan’s military policy development, industrial strategy, and procurement design. At the same time, Fang cautioned that Taiwan still lacks a co