Sikorsky converts Black Hawk into fully autonomous U-Hawk

Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, has converted a UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter into the fully autonomous S-70UAS U-Hawk, capable of leading and resupplying air assault missions. The U-Hawk, displayed at the Association of the United States Army exposition in Washington on October 13, 2025, has 25% more cargo space than a standard Black Hawk.

The cockpit was removed and replaced with clamshell doors and a ramp, while a fly-by-wire system integrated with MATRIX autonomy enables operators to control missions via a tablet. The first flight is expected in 2026.

The U-Hawk can transport oversized cargo, carry missiles including a HIMARS pod or Naval Strike Missiles, deploy reconnaissance or strike drones, and carry internal fuel tanks for extended missions. Operators can drive the aircraft on and off uncrewed ground vehicles and use it for air-ground resupply operations. This enables seamless cargo transfer, reducing human involvement in dangerous or remote missions

“Sikorsky is innovating a 21st-century solution by converting UH‑60L Black Hawks into a fully autonomous utility platform,” said Rich Benton, Sikorsky vice president and general manager. “The modifications made to transform this crewed Black Hawk into a multi-mission payload UAS can be replicated at scale quickly and affordably.”

Igor Cherepinsky, director of Sikorsky Innovations, said, “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. We will incorporate those efficiencies into future modifications and manufacturing for our family of UAS products.”

The U-Hawk retains an external lift capability of 9,000 pounds (approximately 4,082 kg) and forward and side cargo loading like a UH-60L. Its autonomous MATRIX system uses sensors and algorithms to generate flight plans, navigate safely, and complete missions without a pilot.