TADTE 2025: Taiwan seeks ground-launched variant of Barracuda missile

While NCSIST displayed a Barracuda-500 air-launched missile designed by Anduril at TADTE 2025, the institute seeks to produce another variant of the missile, which can be launched from the ground. (Janes/Akhil Kadidal)

The National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) seeks to produce a ground-launched variant of the Anduril Barracuda air-breathing autonomous air vehicle (AAV), the institute has said.

NCSIST's intention to jointly produce the US-origin missile was signalled by the institute's display of a Barracuda-500 at the Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition (TADTE) 2025, which is being held in Taipei from 18 to 20 September. The Barracuda-500 is designed to be air-dropped from fighter aircraft or transport aircraft equipped with a palletised drop system.

However, an NCSIST source told Janes at TADTE on 18 September that the institute does not seek to produce the Barracuda-500. Instead, it seeks to produce a ground-launched variant of the missile, which can be supplied to the Republic of China Navy (RoCN).

“We are [currently] in the first stage of discussions with Anduril about producing the missiles,” the source said, adding that both NCSIST and Anduril have to agree on several key points in the programme before production can begin.

One of the key topics of agreement involves securing the rights to produce a ground-launched variant of the missile, Janes understands.

According to information published by Anduril on its website, Barracuda-100 and Barracuda-250 are capable of being launched from ground systems. Janes has previously reported that the Barracuda-100 has a range of 60 n miles when launched from the ground. The variant was developed to support “novel ground- or air-launched concepts of operation for tactical applications”, according to Anduril's website. This variant can also be launched from rotary-wing platforms.