H.R. 4860: U.S.-Taiwan Defense Innovation Partnership Act

This bill is known as the U.S.-Taiwan Defense Innovation Partnership Act. It aims to foster a strategic partnership between the United States Department of Defense and the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense. The main goals of this partnership are:

Enhanced Cooperation

• To enhance market opportunities for defense technology companies based in both the U.S. and Taiwan.
• To strengthen Taiwan's defense industrial base.
• To align global security efforts through the use of emerging technologies.

Counteracting Adversaries

The bill seeks to counter the development of dual-use defense technologies by the Chinese Communist Party and associated groups.

Specific Objectives

In collaboration with the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense, the U.S. Department of Defense would work to:

• Coordinate defense industrial priorities.
• Streamline research and development of emerging defense technologies.
• Create additional pathways for defense technology startups to enter the market.
• Collaborate on the development of dual-use defense capabilities, which may include:
• Drones
• Microchips
• Directed energy weapons
• Artificial Intelligence
• Missile technology
• Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance technology

Overall Purpose

The overall intent of the bill is to bolster defense cooperation between the U.S. and Taiwan in order to enhance security in the region, particularly in response to increasing tensions with China.

Relevant Companies

• RTX (Raytheon Technologies): Likely to benefit from increased defense contracts and collaboration on technology development.
• NOC (Northrop Grumman): May see expanded opportunities for partnerships in emerging military technologies.
• BA (Boeing): Potentially impacted through increased sales of defense products and development of drones and aerospace technology.
• LDOS (Leidos): Could benefit from new research and development contracts in collaboration with Taiwan.