Overview
- The H-60Mx was formally received at Fort Eustis on March 19 and now enters a rigorous program to validate remote control, autonomous flight, and fly-by-wire handling.
- Core autonomy derives from DARPA’s ALIAS program, with Sikorsky’s MATRIX system serving as the mission-management ‘brain’ packaged as a retrofit kit with an SDK for third-party integration.
- The upgraded Black Hawk replaces mechanical linkages with electronic fly-by-wire controls that the Army says improve stability and reduce pilot workload in demanding conditions.
- Previous demonstrations included a 2022 OPV flight and a National Guard exercise where a non-aviator learned in under an hour to direct the helicopter from a tablet for cargo and medevac scenarios.
- Parallel efforts include a Texas A&M–backed, multi-year UH-60L testbed for wildland firefighting uses, while Sikorsky is developing a fully unpiloted S-70UAS U-Hawk with an extended cargo area.