Black Hawk to drone: new frontier in US rivalry with Beijing over Taiwan Strait?

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Seong Hyeon ChoiFebruary 7, 2026 at 03:00 PM

AI Summary

short article 1 min

The US and China are developing unmanned drone systems based on older aircraft, potentially escalating their rivalry in the Taiwan Strait. The US showcased the S-70UAS U-Hawk, an autonomous helicopter based on the UH-60 Black Hawk, in October 2023 and at the recent Singapore Airshow. Sikorsky, the manufacturer, suggests demand in the Asia-Pacific region is driven by perceived geopolitical threats. China's PLA is also retrofitting outdated aircraft into drones, unveiling similar systems around the same time as the US. These drone conversions could play a significant role in potential conflicts, particularly concerning Taiwan.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

US Army 40% Asia-Pacific 40% Frank Crisafulli 50% Singapore Airshow 50% Lockheed Martin 60% People's Liberation Army (PLA) 70% S-70UAS U-Hawk ×270% Sikorsky ×370% Beijing 80% UH-60 Black Hawk ×280% Taiwan Strait 90% United States ×290%

Keywords

drones 90% taiwan strait 80% black hawk 70% us rivalry 70% beijing 70% uncrewed drones 60% military 60% uh-60 black hawk 50% s-70uas u-hawk 50% geopolitics 40%