Taiwan displayed its domestically made suicide drones in military drills for the first time, as the self-ruled democracy ramps up efforts to deter China by bolstering its defenses. The island’s Marine Corps conducted an exercise on Thursday in the southern port city of Kaohsiung that simulated repelling a People’s Liberation Army amphibious assault. Days earlier, President Xi Jinping’s stunning purge of his top ranking general threw a fresh spotlight on China’s military readiness. While the first drone launch failed — despite blue skies and clear weather conditions — the second was successful, striking a balloon in the sea some 1,300 meters from shore. Taiwan’s military said the drone used was similar to the Pentagon’s Switchblade, which Ukrainian forces have used effectively against Russia.

Full report : Taiwan displayed its domestically made suicide drones in military drills for the first time.