Taiwan tests US-made MQ-9B drones to counter PLA ‘grey-zone’ operations

South China Morning Post | Lawrence Chung

Taiwan has commenced test flights of its first two US-made MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones from Hualien Air Base to counter Beijing's intensifying grey-zone maritime operations. These long-endurance uncrewed aerial vehicles, part of an NT$21.7 billion (US$684 million) procurement running from 2022 to 2029, will provide continuous intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities over critical waterways.

Delivered by sea in June and assembled in a US-certified hangar, the platforms are designed to monitor People's Liberation Army warships and mainland coastguard vessels. The air force will operate them strictly for surveillance. Equipped with SeaVue radar and satellite communications, the aircraft can loiter for over 24 hours, establishing a surveillance wall along the first island chain. To optimise coverage, Taipei plans to integrate these high-end assets with locally developed Teng Yun 2 drones, creating a cost-effective, high-low reconnaissance mix.

Comment

The introduction of the MQ-9B SeaGuardian into Taiwan's 12th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron represents a shift from reactive scrambling to persistent, wide-area maritime surveillance. By utilising the SeaVue radar's 360-degree scanning capability, the air force can maintain continuous track files on People's Liberation Army Navy vessels without exhausting crewed F-16 or P-3C fleets. This transition mitigates the structural fatigue accumulating across Taipei's legacy airframes during daily intercept missions.

The operational efficacy of these platforms relies on real-time data-link integration with shore-based anti-ship missile units, such as those operating the Hsiung Feng III. By cross-cueing target coordinates directly from the SeaGuardian's electro-optical sensors to mobile launchers, Taipei shortens its sensor-to-shooter loop. This digital integration transforms the SeaGuardian into an active targeting node for Hsiung Feng III batteries defending the Bashi Channel.

Strategic Question for Discussion

If the MQ-9B SeaGuardian is successfully integrated with Hsiung Feng III missile batteries, how will the People's Liberation Army alter its grey-zone transit patterns to avoid detection within the Bashi Channel?

The pattern suggests the People's Liberation Army Navy would likely counter this integration by deploying electronic warfare assets to jam the SeaGuardian's satellite communication links. Additionally, Beijing may increase the frequency of low-altitude helicopter sorties and small-boat operations to clutter the radar picture. My assessment is that this would force Taiwan to rely more heavily on passive optical tracking rather than wide-area radar sweeps.

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