At the Singapore Airshow, the quiet stars of the static displays are not the big airliners but the small, lethal drones clustered along the tarmac and in national pavilions. U.S. manufacturers have arrived in force, betting that Asia’s militaries will pour billions into uncrewed systems as they brace for a more contested region. I see a high-stakes sales campaign unfolding in real time, with American firms racing Chinese and Israeli rivals to lock in customers, partnerships and doctrine.
The February showcase is Asia’s largest aviation gathering, and this year the focus has shifted decisively from prestige fighters to networks of cheap, smart aircraft that can overwhelm an adversary. For U.S. drone makers long reliant on Pentagon contracts, the show is a launchpad into Asian markets that see uncrewed systems as essential to deterring conflict, especially around Taiwan and in the South China Sea.
Singapore Airshow becomes a drone battleground
The February 3–8 Singapore Airshow has always been a barometer of Asia’s defense priorities, and this year drones are front and center. Organizers expect more than 1,000 companies to attend, from traditional plane makers to missile houses and radar specialists, but the most intense competition is clustered around uncrewed systems. The Asia-Pacific market for these platforms is already valued at $59.9 billion, with $37.99 billion in as-yet-unawarded programs, a figure that explains why so many foreign delegations are walking the halls with shopping lists.
For Washington, the show is also a stage to demonstrate industrial heft. Almost 100 U.S. firms are exhibiting under a coordinated national presence, a record turnout that includes primes, software houses and nimble drone startups. That contingent is part of a broader U.S. industry push, with Almost Companies and 27 States Come Together to Mark the 10th Edition of Singapore with a Record presence that underscores how seriously Washington views the region’s demand.
U.S. firms pivot from Pentagon to Pacific
Behind the glossy displays, U.S. drone makers are executing a strategic pivot. Several American companies have chosen the Singapore Airshow to debut systems tailored to Asian customers, seeking to reduce reliance on the Pentagon and diversify revenue. Reporting on US drone makers highlights how firms like Anduril Industries and Shield AI are marketing loitering munitions, small quadcopters and software that can coordinate swarms, all pitched as tools to blunt a larger adversary’s numerical advantage.
The sales pitch is explicit about the China factor. One executive invited potential buyers to “Imagine” a Chinese trooper boarding a landing craft only to face a wall of autonomous drones several kilometers offshore, a scenario tailored to anxieties about a Taiwan contingency. Analysts quoted by Asia-focused outlets argue that U.S. systems are being framed as a way to complicate any future conflict in the Pacific, a message that resonates with governments from Japan to the Philippines.
From quadcopters to Collaborative Combat Aircraft
The hardware on offer spans the spectrum from backpack drones to jet-sized uncrewed aircraft. At the tactical end, US firm Red Cat is showcasing the same Black Widow short-range reconnaissance quadcopter it will supply to the US Army, betting that Asian infantry units want the same organic surveillance. Alongside these small systems, Alongside their quadcopters, Anduril and Shield are displaying models of sleek Collaborative Combat Aircraft, or CCA, designed to fly alongside crewed fighters and absorb the riskiest missions.
Other U.S. players are using the show to underline breadth rather than a single flagship product. AeroVironment, listed as AVAV for Financial investors, is highlighting loitering munitions and larger unmanned aircraft suited to maritime patrol, while signaling openness to local assembly and Singapore-based partnerships. The common thread is an effort to show Asian buyers that U.S. firms can cover everything from squad-level reconnaissance to high-end teaming with fifth-generation fighters.
Singapore’s unmanned ambitions reshape the field
Host nation Singapore is not just providing the venue, it is actively reshaping the unmanned landscape. The Republic of Singapore Air Force has long operated Israeli systems, and at this year’s show The Hermes–900 is on static display at the Singapore Airshow, underscoring how deeply integrated uncrewed surveillance has become in the city-state’s concept of operations. Reporting By Elisabeth Gosselin–Malo notes that Singapore’s Ministry of Defence is exploring additional Israeli technology, a reminder that U.S. firms are not the only ones courting this sophisticated buyer.
At the same time, Singapore is deepening ties with American autonomy specialists. The Defence Science and Technology Agency, known as DSTA, has expanded its partnership with Shield AI to integrate artificial intelligence across a wider range of platforms, a move announced at the Singapore Airshow 2026. A separate report from an Asia-Pacific defence outlet describes how RSAF, DSTA and are working to field more autonomous capabilities, signaling that Singapore wants to be an early adopter of AI-enabled swarming rather than a passive buyer of off-the-shelf drones.
China’s drone champions and the race for Asia
U.S. companies are not operating in a vacuum. Chinese manufacturers are also targeting the region, often with lower-cost systems and fewer export restrictions. One prominent example is United Aircraft, a Company that has signaled plans for an IPO in Hong Kong or mainland China, aiming to lift overseas revenue to 30 percent of its total. That ambition underlines how Beijing’s drone sector sees Asia as a natural export market, leveraging geographic proximity and existing political ties.
Regional analysts describe a broader contest between Asia’s major powers to shape supply chains and standards for uncrewed systems. A detailed look at Asia’s aviation crossroads notes that the region is grappling with supply chain bottlenecks and trade restrictions, factors that could push some states toward Chinese suppliers while others double down on U.S. technology. In that context, the Singapore Airshow becomes a proxy arena where competing industrial ecosystems vie for influence over how future wars in the Indo-Pacific will be fought.
More from Morning Overview
