Ahead of the Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition (TADTE) this Thursday and Friday, CSBC Corporation Chairman Chen Jeng-Horng (陳政宏) held a press conference on Wednesday to explain the company’s future development direction and unveil a model of the new Endeavor Manta configuration. 

The Endeavor Manta is a military-use uncrewed surface vehicle (USV), or drone ship. Per Chen, USVs will be a key focus of this year’s TADTE exhibition. He explained that the three-hulled design offers enhanced wave resistance, making it suitable for the challenging conditions of the Taiwan Strait; additionally, the increased deck space allows for greater adaptability to various modular payloads.

Chen said that the Ukraine-Russia war has confirmed the combat effectiveness of unmanned vessels on the battlefield. However, given that the waters of the Taiwan Strait are more treacherous than the Black Sea’s, these modifications for Taiwan’s USVs are essential. “A trimaran and a catamaran are both multi-hulled vessels. The difference is the rear deck area of a trimaran is larger, making the Endeavor Manta not only more wave-resistant, but also more suitable for accommodating drones, unmanned helicopters, and other equipment. The cost may be higher, but it should be well worth it,” he said.

CSBC Executive Vice President and spokesperson Chou Chih-ming (周志明) further emphasized that USVs are of significant interest to the international market, not just for military applications but also for commercial use. He said CSBC’s USV technology has already received safety certification from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and is ready for market development.