TADTE 2023: GEOSAT to produce Jackal UAVs in Taiwan

The Jackal UAV (pictured above) from TADTE 2023 has a length of 2.85 m, a height of 1.2 m, and a wingspan of 5.5 m. (Janes/Kapil Kajal)

Taiwan's GEOSAT Aerospace & Technology and Flyby Technology have signed an agreement to enable transfer of technology (ToT) to manufacture the latter's Jackal unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in Taiwan.

The agreement – signed at the Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition 2023 (TADTE 2023) – will lead to the production of 160 Jackal UAVs for use by the Republic of China Army (RoCA) and the RoC Marine Corps, Cheng-Fang Lo, CEO of GEOSAT, told Janes on 15 September at the show.

Cheng-Fang said that mass production of the Jackals in Taiwan will be initiated in early 2024 and GEOSAT will start delivering the UAVs to the forces by the end of the year.

The Jackals will be used for combat as well as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations, Cheng-Fang added.

He said that when used in combat, the Jackals will be equipped with two short-range air-to-surface missiles that are yet to be finalised. These missiles can either be 2.75 inch ones provided by Taiwan's state-owned National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) or can be acquired from Northrop Grumman or Thales, Cheng-Fang added.

Developed in collaboration with Turkey's Fly BVLOS Technology, Flyby's Jackal is a modular vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft that can be used for beyond-visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) missions and confined area operations, including battlefield air interdiction, close air support, anti-armour, and road/runway denial.