US Firm Vatn Systems Plans Expanded AUV Deployment in Taiwan for Undersea Defense
US-based Vatn Systems is planning a significant deployment of autonomous undersea vehicles (AUVs) in Taiwan to bolster its maritime defense capabilities against potential adversary operations. In August, Vatn Systems signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Taiwan's National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) to collaborate on naval defense projects for Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense. Nelson Mills, co-founder and CEO of Vatn Systems, stated that the partnership aims to develop AUV technologies to strengthen Taiwan's undersea defense and enable scalable deployment in the Taiwan Strait. The S12 AUVs, designed with modularity, can perform various roles including kinetic defense, acting as decoys, and carrying intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) payloads. The agreement also includes establishing a framework for AI-enabled command-and-control systems, fielding AUVs like the S12, and building supply-chain and sustainment support within Taiwan.