Taiwan is spending big on American vertical-takeoff drones to watch the seas around it, a boost for US drone maker Shield AI and a sign Taipei expects a fight it must fight asymmetrically.

• The navy will buy 280 V-BAT drones over four years, along with control systems and transport trucks, for about NT$36 billion.
• The plan was secret for years and only became public when next year's defense budget reached parliament.
• The drones are meant to keep watch over the Taiwan Strait even if China knocks out Taiwan's command and communication systems early in a war.
• V-BAT can take off from a patch of ground the size of a parking space, resists GPS jamming, and can spot targets 150 km out.
• The same drone has been used in Ukraine and is already flown by the US Navy, the US Coast Guard, and Japan's maritime forces.

Outlook: Deliveries start with 40 drones this year and ramp up sharply next year, with the buy now open to public and legislative scrutiny.