Sikorsky to fly pilotless UH-60 'U-Hawk' cargo variant and expand MATRIX autonomy

Sikorsky’s Black Hawk 2070 modernization plan centers on adding a “digital backbone” (open-architecture power/data/network interfaces) plus expanded autonomy via the MATRIX system, enabling optionally piloted and potentially uncrewed UH-60 operations. The company says it will fly the pilotless U-Hawk cargo variant this year and has delivered the first UH-60MX fly-by-wire optionally piloted aircraft to the U.S. Army for TTP development, indicating a push toward operationalizing autonomous helicopter logistics and crew-reduction concepts.