U.S. Sen. John Curtis (R-UT) recently cosponsored bipartisan legislation that would support Taiwan’s supply chain development of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) to both strengthen the country’s defense posture and expand the United States’ access to secure UAS components and systems that are independent of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
“Strengthening our partnership with Taiwan is critical to advancing both American security and the stability of the Indo-Pacific,” Sen. Curtis said. “Our bipartisan legislation expands cooperation between the U.S. and Taiwan to build secure, resilient drone systems — cutting China out of the supply chain and reinforcing deterrence in the region.”
Sen. Curtis on March 26 cosponsored the Blue Skies for Taiwan Act of 2026, S. 4259, alongside bill sponsor U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) to promote the development, production, and deployment of secure UAS to enhance American national security and support the defense and resilience of Taiwan, a long-standing and vital democratic partner for the United States in the Indo-Pacific region.
Specifically, S. 4259 would establish a Blue UAS Working Group, led by the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to assess Taiwan’s drone production capacity and to identify opportunities and impediments to incorporating Taiwan-manufactured UAS and components in the Defense Contract Management Agency’s Blue UAS program and associated lists.
The Blue UAS program is a DOD initiative that vets and certifies secure drone systems and components that do not rely on PRC technology or supply chains, according to a bill summary provided by the senators.
Additionally, S. 4259 would establish a cooperative framework with regional allies to support secure, PRC-independent drone supply chains and expand opportunities for Taiwan’s drone industry by instructing the DOD and the State Department to develop a fast-track certification process for Taiwan drone and drone component manufacturers.
“Our long-standing partnership with Taiwan demands the United States use all the tools at our disposal to strengthen Taiwan’s security and counter China’s coercive tactics,” said Sen. Merkley. “Our bipartisan effort not only protects American strategic interests and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, but it also ensures that Taiwan is well-equipped to develop unmanned aerial systems in support of its own defense and our national security.”