Taiwan Coast Guard to Acquire MARTAC Devil Ray T24 USVs

Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration is buying an undisclosed number of Devil Ray T24 autonomous surface vessels. The purchase matters because it is the Coast Guard’s first unmanned surface vessel program and one of the largest international purchases of U.S.-manufactured USVs. It also links American design expertise with Taiwan’s defense industry.

MARTAC, a U.S. company, supplies the vessel design and manufactures some units at a strategic partner’s facility in Edgewater, Florida. Confucian Co., Ltd., MARTAC’s Taiwanese partner, will build the remaining vessels in Taiwan. NCSIST, Taiwan’s state-owned defense research and development institution, is also part of the partnership.

The arrangement grew from a 2025 memorandum of understanding among MARTAC, Confucian, and NCSIST. The article does not disclose the number Taiwan will receive. It says the deal is intended to strengthen Taiwan’s industrial base, integrate supply chains, and support technology-sharing initiatives.

An unmanned surface vessel, or USV, is a watercraft that operates without a crew physically aboard. Autonomous operation means onboard computers, navigation equipment, and sensors can help the vessel control its movement and follow assigned instructions. The article identifies MARTAC as a provider of fully autonomous USVs, but it does not detail the T24’s specific software or sensors.

In practical terms, autonomy allows a vessel to carry out a mission while people supervise it from elsewhere. Systems can use location data, programmed routes, and environmental information to support navigation. Human operators may still set objectives or monitor progress. These general details explain the term, while the article itself only confirms the T24’s autonomous status and mission flexibility.

The T24 is designed for coast guard and military organizations in complex maritime environments. Its autonomous design could help those organizations deploy an unmanned platform without placing a crew aboard. The purchase makes Taiwan’s first USV program a significant national project.

The Devil Ray T24 combines a relatively compact hull with very high speed. It measures 27.5 feet, or 8.4 meters, and can reach burst speeds exceeding 50 knots. Those figures describe the platform’s physical size and peak short-duration performance. The article presents it as a high-performance autonomous surface vessel.

Taiwan’s Coast Guard is acquiring multiple T24 vessels, but the agreement does not reveal the exact quantity. The press release calls it a multi-vessel acquisition and says the number is undisclosed. Some units will be manufactured in Edgewater, Florida, and the remainder will be built by Confucian in Taiwan.

That combination of speed, autonomous operation, and multiple vessels is central to the purchase. However, the article does not provide endurance, range, payload, or a delivery schedule. It therefore supports clear conclusions about size and burst speed, but not the fleet’s final scale or detailed operating performance.

The co-production agreement distributes responsibility among three partners. MARTAC brings the U.S. vessel design, manufacturing experience, and a strategic partner’s facility in Edgewater, Florida. Confucian Co., Ltd. is responsible for building the remaining vessels in Taiwan. NCSIST, Taiwan’s state-owned defense research and development institution, is the third central partner.

The arrangement began with a tripartite memorandum of understanding signed by MARTAC, NCSIST, and Confucian at the 2025 Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition. The article describes Confucian as MARTAC’s local partner. It describes NCSIST as a key participant in moving the initiative from a framework agreement toward procurement.

This is more than a simple purchase from abroad. Some production remains in the United States, while Taiwan gains local manufacturing involvement. The deal is intended to strengthen Taiwan’s domestic industrial base, integrate supply chains, and facilitate technology-sharing initiatives consistent with the original memorandum.

The Devil Ray T24 is designed to support a wide range of missions for coast guard and military organizations. The article emphasizes complex maritime environments, where operators may need flexible platforms that can work without people aboard. It does not identify particular tasks such as patrols, surveillance, or rescue, so those examples cannot be confirmed from the source.

What the article does establish is the vessel’s combination of capabilities. The T24 is fully autonomous, measures 27.5 feet, and can exceed 50 knots in bursts. These features form the stated basis for a high-performance platform that can be assigned different roles. The system is intended for organizations operating at sea, rather than for a single narrowly defined mission.

Taiwan’s Coast Guard is making the T24 its first USV program. That means the acquisition creates an initial unmanned capability rather than expanding an existing Coast Guard fleet described in the article. The exact missions, equipment, and operating methods will depend on later decisions not provided here.

The purchase could affect Taiwan beyond the delivery of boats. The co-production model is intended to strengthen the country’s domestic industrial base by having Confucian build vessels locally. It also connects Taiwanese production with MARTAC’s U.S. design and manufacturing expertise. The article describes this as a major national project for Taiwan.

The workforce effects may extend across both sides of the partnership. The deal is projected to create workforce development opportunities in the United States and Taiwan. It is also expected to foster supply-chain integration and technology-sharing initiatives. These outcomes are part of the agreement’s broader industrial purpose, although the article gives no job numbers or specific technologies.

Operationally, the acquisition gives Taiwan’s Coast Guard its first USV program. The article links autonomous maritime platforms with security and maritime domain awareness needs across the Indo-Pacific. It does not measure the purchase’s eventual impact, but says the deal could reinforce Taiwan’s capabilities while supporting longer-term industrial cooperation.

Autonomous maritime systems are becoming strategically important because countries need maritime capabilities that can support security and awareness across large, complex operating areas. The article points to growing global demand for advanced unmanned maritime systems and identifies the Indo-Pacific as an important region. It presents autonomous platforms as valuable tools for allied nations.

The Devil Ray T24 illustrates the model. It is a fully autonomous surface vessel that measures 27.5 feet and can exceed 50 knots in bursts. It is designed for a wide range of coast guard and military missions. By operating without a crew aboard, a USV can add an unmanned option to an organization’s maritime capabilities, although the article does not describe specific deployments.

Taiwan’s purchase shows how this trend is moving into national programs. Its Coast Guard’s first USV acquisition combines U.S. manufacturing with Taiwanese production. MARTAC says the deal supports security and maritime domain awareness needs, while the partnership may deepen regional industrial and technology cooperation.