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US defence company Sikorsky has unveiled its new S-70UAS U-Hawk versatile autonomous unmanned aircraft system to the international defence community as the first fully autonomous Black Hawk utility helicopter.
The modified UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter, manufactured by the subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, reportedly has an additional 25 per cent more cargo space than a typical Black Hawk in a versatile autonomous unmanned aircraft system (UAS).
The company has replaced the former cockpit section with actuated clamshell doors and ramp and swapped conventional flight controls with a third-generation, low-cost, fly-by-wire system integrated with MATRIX autonomy technology.
The larger cabin space can reportedly provide longer cargo, such as missiles, drive on and off for uncrewed ground vehicles, roll on and off supplies, internal fuel tanks for increased range or even capability to launch swarms of reconnaissance or strike drones.
“Sikorsky is innovating a 21st century solution by converting UH‑60L Black Hawks into a fully autonomous utility platform,” Sikorsky vice president and general manager Rich Benton said.
“We developed this prototype from concept to reality in under a year and the modifications made to transform this crewed Black Hawk into a multi-mission payload UAS can be replicated at scale quickly and affordably.
“The U-Hawk continues the Black Hawk legacy of being the world’s premier utility aircraft and opens the door to new capabilities as a UAS.”
Redesign and structural modification of the UH-60L aircraft into its uncrewed U-Hawk configuration is led by rapid prototyping group Sikorsky Innovations. First flight is expected in 2026.
Specific cargo options now include transport of up to four joint modular intermodal containers, missile transport of potential High Mobility Artillery Rocket System pod of six rockets or two Naval Strike Missiles, and the ability to deploy launched effects carrying sensors or munitions from quivers secured to the cabin.
The U-Hawk variant retains the ability to load cargo from the side door and externally lift 4,080 kilograms using its cargo hook. Endurance is expected to self-deploy over 1,600 nautical miles or loiter for up to 14 hours without refuelling.
Full command of the U-Hawk is orchestrated by an operator using a tablet inputting mission goals. The MATRIX autonomy system automatically generates a flight plan, relying on cameras, sensors and algorithms to help navigate the U-Hawk aircraft safely to its destination.
“The U‑Hawk offers a cost‑effective utility UAS by leveraging commonality with the existing UH‑60 fleet, and its uncrewed nature reduces both operating and maintenance costs,” Sikorsky Innovations director Igor Cherepinsky said.
“We focused on efficiencies in the retrofit by designing and manufacturing vehicle management computers, actuation components and airframe modifications.
“We will incorporate those efficiencies into future modifications and manufacturing for our family of UAS products.”
