The global rare earth supply chain is undergoing a restructuring as countries actively invest in the sector to reduce their reliance on China, especially for permanent magnets used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, and drones.
The US Navy is boosting its deployment of artificial intelligence that automatically detects targets after successfully testing it on underwater drones, according to defense officials.
Tron Future Tech, a Taiwanese startup founded in 2018, has emerged to be a prominent leader in Taiwan's low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite and Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) markets. At the core of the success is the company's independently developed Active Phased Array (AESA) radar technology. Recently, Tron Future announced that it has secured NT$900 million (approx. US$32.4 million) in a Series A funding round led by the government-backed Taiwania Capital and the CID Group, and joined by Industrial Technology Investment Corp. (ITRI's venture capital), Taya Venture, and Taiwan Cooperative Venture Capital.
In a recent move aimed at bolstering national security measures, the US Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has added 37 People's Republic of China (PRC) entities to the Entity List under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). What is noteworthy is that quantum technology is specifically mentioned for 22 newly added to the Entity List.
Transcom, a Power Amplifier (PA) manufacturer primarily focused on the defense industry, has seen steady growth in its overall operations, benefiting from defense contracts and increasing shipments of microwave communication products. It also has prospects to penetrate the aerospace and commercial satellite communication product markets in the United States and Japan.
Ubiqconn Technology, a subsidiary of First International Computer (FIC), is eyeing robust growth in 2024, buoyed by its satellite and industrial brand divisions.
AI took center stage at the 2nd Hong Kong International Innovation and Technology Expo (InnoEX) and the 20th Hong Kong Electronics Fair (Spring Edition), as AI technologies and applications continue to generate buzz and attention in the tech world.
Rugged device brand RuggON, a part of FIC Global subsidiary Ubiqconn, has seen double-digit growth in 2023 as it expands its automotive, precision agriculture, and government project businesses, with growth expected to accelerate in 2024. The brand's higher gross margin is also expected to become a key driver for Ubiqconn.
Japanese manufacturers and the Japanese Ministry of Defense have been increasing cooperation and joint development. According to Nikkei, in the fiscal year 2023 (April 2023 to March 2024), the number of collaborative development projects between the Japanese Ministry of Defense (MoD) and private companies reached 30, more than doubling compared to the 14 projects in the fiscal year 2022. This increase is significantly higher than in previous years.
As China's National People's Congress holds its annual Two Sessions meeting, the defense budget for 2024 submitted by China's Ministry of Finance has revealed a 7.2% growth to reach CNY1.67 trillion (US$232 billion), surpassing its moderate GDP growth target set at around 5%. In the government work report delivered by China's Premier Li Qiang, the term "peaceful reunification" has been dropped, a change that was soon picked up by international media.
Innovative Optical and Wireless Network (IOWN), an initiative for all-photonics communication infrastructure led by Japanese telecom company NTT, has gained the attention of Japan's Ministry of Defense. Back in August 2023, the Ministry of Defense established a committee to promote the utilization of next-generation communication technology and began to look into IOWN. A dedicated research institution is expected to be set up in 2024, followed by a procurement budget in 2025, making the Defense Ministry a potential major adopter of IOWN.
Amid the escalating rifts of the US-China trade war, the concept of supply chains is undergoing a fundamental transformation. No longer just a logistical network, supply chains are now being bifurcated into distinct "Chinese" and "non-Chinese" factions, with conflicts further deepening the divide between "democratic" and "non-democratic" camps.
The Silicon Valley-based Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) operated by the US Department of Defense is seeking small unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) that are production-ready, inexpensive, and expeditionary, in addition to being capable of collaborative intercept via specialized software and/or hardware. In a separate project, the DIU is also looking for proposals that leverage deep learning to accelerate Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) swarm detection, identification, and tracking.
As China continues to build and strengthen its satellite communication and navigation industry, some ground equipment suppliers have been exploring the drone and drone defense market as well, leveraging their experiences in relevant chip and antenna developments. Hwa Create Company and Guangzhou Haige Communications Group, for example, have long been suppliers of networking and satellite navigation components to Chinese consumer and defense sectors, from chips, and modules to terminals. Both companies have also been tapping into the drone market.
Post-pandemic, the global aviation market's resurgence is poised to propel Taiwan's aerospace industry output to a four-year pinnacle. With governmental policies sustaining domestic aircraft production, industry insiders underscore the imperative of elevating Taiwan's aerospace self-sufficiency and constructing an adaptable supply chain for both military and civilian applications.
At CES 2024, Hyundai Motor made a resounding entry into the burgeoning aerial vehicle market with the unveiling of its cutting-edge Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Against the backdrop of CES 2024's strategic focus on the potential advancements in Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) solutions and the continued prominence of electric vehicles (EVs), particularly in land and sea domains, the spotlight has been turned to whether the eVTOL industry is poised for a transformative takeoff.
