Sikorsky lands Army contract to modernize Black Hawk helicopters to carry and launch drones
The Army has given Sikorsky a $43 million contract to modernize the service’s UH-60 Black Hawks with capabilities that will enable the helicopters to carry and launch unmanned aerial systems, the company announced Wednesday.
Under the contract, Lockheed Martin-subsidiary Sikorsky will integrate a digital backbone capability to support integration of Army drones known as launched effects that can be deployed from larger airborne or ground-based platforms. The award will also go towards upgrading the helicopter’s airframe and main fuel capabilities, according to the firm.
“Integrating launched effects into the Black Hawk will enhance its capabilities and provide a significant advantage. Modernization is reducing costs, increasing efficiency and improving the overall maintenance and sustainment for the aircraft,” Hamid Salim, vice president of Army and Air Force Systems at Sikorsky, said in a statement.
The Army has been working on the launched effects program for years, having partnered with multiple vendors to narrow down requirements and deployment options. Officials envision small drones being launched mid-flight from larger aircraft or from the ground to conduct a range of missions, such as offensive strike or intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
The service is currently eyeing an arsenal of UAS with at least three different ranges — short, medium and long — while also exploring options for a universal launcher. A notice posted Aug. 5 indicated the Army intends to use a challenge-based other transaction authority model to rapidly procure launched effects and begin fielding the systems to every division and Multi-Domain Task Force in 2026.
The Army always considered the Black Hawk, manufactured by Sikorsky, to be one of the primary platforms to carry launched effects, and has been working with the company to facilitate easy integration. The new contract will allow Sikorsky to develop advanced systems and software based on a modular open system approach that will support future capability upgrades, according to the firm.
In addition, work to enhance the Black Hawk’s airframe and other components is expected to increase the helicopter’s reach and payload-hauling capacity.
“With a more powerful engine, airframe enhancements and a main fuel upgrade, the aircraft will carry more payload at greater range, and future upgrades to flight controls to include autonomy and AI features that will assist pilots in tough conditions increasing mission safety and effectiveness,” a company press release noted.
