Lockheed Martin company Sikorsky has been awarded a contract to equip the US Army’s experimental fly-by-wire UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter with its Matrix flight autonomy system.
Awarded by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the $6m Matrix system installation contract aims to enhance flight safety, reliability and efficiency of both fixed and rotary wing aircraft.
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The upgraded experimental fly-by-wire UH-60M aircraft is designated as MX.
The Matrix system is central to DARPA’s Aircrew Labour In-cockpit Automation System (ALIAS) programme. Sikorsky’s previous work under ALIAS in 2020 involved adding fly-by-wire controls to the MX aircraft.
Sikorsky vice-president and general manager Rich Benton said: “Autonomy-enabled aircraft will reduce pilot workload, dramatically improve flight safety, and give battle commanders the flexibility to perform complex missions in contested and congested battlespace, day or night in all weather conditions.
“Soldiers will rely on Black Hawk helicopters into the 2070s, and modernising the aircraft today will pay dividends for decades across Army Aviation’s current and future aircraft.”
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By GlobalDataThe MX aircraft, when integrated with the MATRIX autonomy system, will closely resemble Sikorsky’s UH-60A fly-by-wire optionally piloted Black Hawk helicopter. This helicopter has served as the company’s flying lab and has logged extensive flight hours testing the MATRIX autonomy capabilities.
Sikorsky will carry out the MX helicopter and MATRIX system integration next year.
The integration allows the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command to assess a range of autonomy features, including single pilot operation to fully uncrewed flight.
The evaluations will include testing sensor suites for threat and obstacle detection and developing interfacing standards with the MATRIX and fly-by-wire systems.
In a July 2024 demonstration, Sikorsky and DARPA showcased the optionally piloted Black Hawk’s ease of control, either by an in-cabin operator or remotely via tablet. This presentation highlighted the aircraft’s potential to military personnel and Department of Defense officials.
Autonomous flight technologies such as Matrix are integral to Lockheed Martin’s vision for a modernised security landscape. These advancements are built on previous successes, such as the autonomous cargo resupply missions demonstrated during Project Convergence 2022.
