NCSIST said the partnership would combine overseas technology with Taiwan’s industrial and research capabilities to accelerate AUV development and systems integration while strengthening underwater reconnaissance and maritime defence resilience.

“Taiwan is one of many allies rethinking what undersea defence looks like,” Vatn co-founder and CEO Nelson Mills was quoted as saying in a statement on Tuesday.

“Building affordable undersea autonomy for US and allied partners and deploying that capability at scale is core to our strategy, and this agreement gives us a chance to explore how that technology can support Taiwan’s naval modernisation efforts.”