2023/11/09
The Ministry of National Defense issues a press release explaining media reports that unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) procurement may shift from the "national team" to "open tenders" (November 9, 2023)
Press release of the Ministry of National Defense
Time: November 9, 2023 at 17:55
In response to media reports that UAV procurement may shift from the "national team" to "open tenders", the Ministry of National Defense (MND) elaborated today (9th) as follows:
1. The MND has always conducted procurement in a comprehensive manner and properly plans procurement strategies adhering to the principle of fairness, impartiality, and openness, and administer tenders in accordance with the law. Since the military commercial drone prototype has been developed and manufactured for the first time, it has been adopted with restricted bidding; 36 aircraft of Type 5 and 35 aircraft of qualified Type 5 are to be purchased. Bidding specifications for mass production of all of these aircraft have been stipulated and used for educational training.
2. Since subsequent mass production cannot accommodate restrictive bidding requirements, the tender will adopt selective bidding and the most favorable bid will be chosen so that high-quality manufacturers that comply with our indigenous national defense policy are selected. As such, media reports stating that "bidding has been opened due to pressure from foreign manufacturers" is not true.