US, Taiwan, Japan drone fleets to share real-time data -FT

Reuters:

June 8 – U.S., Taiwanese and Japanese forces will share real-time data from reconnaissance drones to strengthen coordination, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the project.

Late in the Trump presidency, the U.S. announced more than $5 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, including four aerial drones worth $600 million, meant to upgrade the island’s capabilities and discourage a Chinese invasion.

The FT said Washington would allow those aircraft to integrate into the system that U.S. forces in the region and the Japanese Self-Defense Force will use.

The report added that this would enable the U.S. and its partners to simultaneously observe all the information gathered by the unmanned aerial vehicles.