Taiwan and Kratos develop new kamikaze drone for military use
September 1, 2025
Taiwan is working with Kratos to develop a one-way attack drone. Kratos is one of the major US contractors developing the next generation of uncrewed combat aircraft (loyal wingman drones) for US and allied air forces.
Taiwan working with Kratos to develop kamikaze drone
Kratos has confirmed it is working with Taiwan’s state-owned National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) to develop a one-way attack drone (aka kamikaze drone) based on its jet-powered MQM-178 Firejet target drone.
In Taiwan, the new attack drone is called the Chien Feng IV and is planned to be a lower-cost, longer-range kamikaze drone. According to The War Zone (TWZ), NCSIST is hoping to both sell it to the Taiwanese military and offer it for export. Serial production could start as early as late 2026.
The NCSIST will display Chin Feng IV, a cruise missile based on the Kratos MQM-178 Firejet target drone with a range of around 1,000 km, at the Taipei Aerospace and Defense Technology Exhibition.
— Taiwan Defense News Tracker 🇹🇼 (@TaiwansDefense) August 24, 2025
(Liberty Times) pic.twitter.com/D1dOMa0ub1
The War Zone stated that Kratos confirmed the partnership. According to the company, development work has been progressing rapidly since it started early in 2025. The new drone is set to make its official public debut at the biennial Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition in September 2025.
This news comes weeks after Kratos revealed it is partnering with Airbus to deliver an XQ-58A Valkyrie-based drone for the German Air Force.
When drones become cruise missiles
According to Kratos, the rail-launched Tactical Firejet “offers a low-cost offensive/defensive high-performance.” The company says it is designed to “affordably” meet the requirements for “fast ingress and egress of tactically denied battle spaces.” Kratos advertises the aircraft as a reusable platform.
The Tactical Firejet spans 10.8 feet and has a width of 6.5 feet. It comes with a maximum takeoff weight of 320 lbs and can function at altitudes between 20 feet and 35,000 feet.
The system can deliver significant payloads over long ranges and at high speeds (between 150 knots and Mach 0.69). It can carry the payloads with internal, underwing, and wingtip hardpoints.
Oh my God, we've got the first ever image of the HF-2E land attack cruise missile, taken during a secret firing last night.
— Taepodong (@stoa1984) August 16, 2023
The missile was briefly illuminated by the still burning solid booster, which was being discarded. pic.twitter.com/LZVMpEUHxU
For Taiwan, the high-speed loitering munition derivative will enhance the island’s standoff strike capabilities against both sea- and land-based targets. It will provide the island with an asymmetric capability to counter threats from the mainland.
The new drone is essentially a “low-cost cruise missile.” The line between what is popularly regarded as a “drone” and “a cruise missile” is very blurred. Ukraine’s new long-range FP-5 Flamingo is another new example of a heavy long-range truck-rail-launched cruise missile.
Kratos: one of the world’s leading advanced drone companies
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions is a San Diego-based technology company focused on weapons and military electronics. The company says it provides the US DoD and foreign allies with advanced, high-speed, highly maneuverable, unmanned tactical aerial platforms for quick, runway-independent unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) support.
While General Atomics and Anduril have been given the go-ahead to develop the next-generation loyal wingman drone (called Collaborative Combat Aircraft) for the US Air Force, Kratos remains a leading contractor.
Kratos’ XQ-58A Valkyrie is currently being used as a testbed for the USAF to develop loyal wingman drone doctrines and more. It also delivered its first XQ-58A drone to the US Marine Corps in August 2025.
Recently, US Air Force F-15 and F-16 controlled multiple XQ-58A drones during an air combat test. This marked another significant milestone in the development of the CCA program.
