On April 6, the President of Taiwan emphasized the intention to move forward with the purchase of 30 new UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters from the United States as part of efforts to expand and strengthen the helicopter fleet of the Taiwanese Armed Forces. The announced plan also includes the modernization of 30 existing helicopters of the same model to the “M” variant, enabling them to employ air-to-ground weaponry such as Hellfire missiles, rockets, and automatic cannons.
Currently, Taiwan’s Armed Forces operate a fleet of 60 UH-60s originally acquired from the United States. Of these, 30 are operated by the Army, 15 by the Air Force, and the remaining 15 by the National Airborne Service Corps. Following the loss of two aircraft in accidents, 58 remain in active service. The fleet is complemented by other helicopter types, including AH-64 Apache and AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters.
Regarding the helicopters slated for modernization, Taiwanese authorities plan to upgrade them with new night vision systems, integrated electro-optical infrared reconnaissance equipment, and multi-function weapon mounts capable of carrying up to six different systems, including AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, 70 mm rockets, and machine guns.
For Taiwan, the UH-60M represents a key platform in coastal defense scenarios against a potential amphibious operation by China’s People’s Liberation Army. Armed with precision weaponry, these helicopters could be used to engage fast enemy boats or coastal positions, providing essential support to ground forces and amphibious operations. In an interview, Su Tzu-yun, a researcher at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, explained that Taiwan’s current fleet of UH-60s lacks armed variants, which limits their operational flexibility, particularly for the Aviation and Special Forces Command.
Finally, experts stress that the addition of new armed helicopters would not only enhance rapid response capabilities in the event of an attack from China, but also fill operational gaps that other weapons systems cannot address—especially in the face of threats to critical infrastructure. In such scenarios, armed Black Hawks could offer immediate reaction capability and effective firepower to counter offensive actions on the island territory.
You may also like: The U.S. will deploy MQ-4C Triton drones from Japan to monitor the activities of China’s Armed Forces around Taiwan
