The U.S. Army has initiated a significant step towards upgrading its fleet of Black Hawk helicopters by awarding an initial $43-million contract to Lockheed Martin subsidiary Sikorsky. This modernization effort aims to enhance the helicopter’s airframe and main fuel capabilities, alongside integrating an advanced digital backbone designed to allow seamless compatibility with uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) and various launched effects. The improvements are slated for deployment by 2026.
The redesigned Black Hawk is expected to be capable of carrying increased payloads over extended ranges and will incorporate future advancements in flight control systems, including features that leverage autonomy and artificial intelligence. Hamid Salim, Vice President of Army and Air Force Systems at Sikorsky, expressed the company’s commitment to integrating new technologies into the combat-tested Black Hawk. He emphasized that these enhancements will provide U.S. Army soldiers with a distinct tactical advantage, particularly in regions like the Indo-Pacific, while also prioritizing cost reduction, efficiency, and ease of maintenance for the aircraft.
This contract isn’t Sikorsky’s first foray into modernizing the Black Hawks. The company has previously made strides in enhancing the helicopters, including the production of advanced upturned exhaust system II kits. These kits aim to improve the helicopters’ infrared suppression capabilities, reduce weight, and enhance overall reliability and maintainability.
In a strategic push last October, Sikorsky secured a $6-million contract focused on equipping the U.S. Army’s experimental fly-by-wire UH-60M Black Hawk with its MATRIX flight autonomy system, targeted for installation by 2025. The overarching goal is to evolve the Black Hawk into an autonomy-enabled aircraft that lessens pilot workload while boosting flight safety and providing essential support to battle commanders in challenging environments.
In recent testing, the Black Hawk has successfully conducted its first flight test of the Air-Launched, Tube-Integrated Unmanned System (Altius) 700 air vehicle, developed by Anduril. This milestone has validated the Black Hawk’s performance across various operational phases, further solidifying its capabilities for future missions.
