Approving a $600 million sale of MQ-9B drones to Taiwan, the Trump administration this week threw another curveball in the path of a possible Chinese invasion of the island nation.

These drones, compatible with an array of missile and sensor systems, will help the Taiwanese military to detect, deter, and defeat encroaching Chinese forces. A particular utility of the drones is that they would allow Taiwan to monitor an encroaching Chinese fleet or invasion beachhead without excessive risk to aircrews. This is an important concern in light of the People’s Liberation Army navy’s impressive air defense systems. The drones could also be deployed to carry out what otherwise might be considered suicide runs against PLA command nodes.

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