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Sikorsky Unveils Uncrewed Black Hawk Variant
By: Hanneke Weitering
Caption: Autonomous U-Hawk replaces the Black Hawk’s cockpit with a cargo door 
Word Count: 472
Sikorsky Aircraft plans to introduce an autonomous, uncrewed variant of the venerable Black Hawk military helicopter called the S-70UAS U-Hawk, the company announced on October 13 as it unveiled a mockup at the annual Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) conference in Washington.
According to Sikorsky, the uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) has 25% more payload capacity than the traditional UH-60L Black Hawk family of utility helicopters, with a maximum payload of 10,000 pounds. It will be able to fly for up to 1,600 nm or loiter for 14 hours without refueling.
In the U-Hawk, Sikorsky has replaced the Black Hawk’s cockpit and flight deck with two actuated clamshell doors and an automated ramp for loading and unloading cargo. However, the U-Hawk retains the Black Hawk’s side door, as well as its ability to externally lift up to 9,000 pounds.
A larger cabin space allows for longer oversized cargo items such as missiles, the company said. For example, it can carry up to six HIMARS rockets internally. The U-Hawk could also carry swarms of reconnaissance or strike drones, as well as automated ground vehicles, which can use the new ramp to drive directly into the cargo bay. 
“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,” said Rich Benton, Sikorsky vice president and general manager. U-Hawk flight testing is expected to begin in 2026.
In lieu of the Black Hawk’s conventional flight controls, the U-Hawk features a fly-by-wire system that integrates with Sikorsky’s Matrix autonomous flight technology. Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin subsidiary, has previously demonstrated the Matrix system on Black Hawks for the U.S. Army and DARPA, and it recently demonstrated autonomous aerial firefighting capabilities.
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“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,” said Igor Cherepinsky, director of Sikorsky Innovations, the company’s rapid prototyping group.
“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.”
Last week, Sikorsky unveiled plans for a family of autonomous and hybrid-electric cargo drones called Nomad, which the company said could scale from a small Group 3 UAS “to the footprint equivalent of a Black Hawk.” The Nomad design features a rotor-blown, tilt-wing tailsitter with vertical takeoff and landing capabilities. Sikorsky has already flown a 115-pound demonstrator and is preparing to begin test flights with the larger Nomad 100 prototype in the coming months.