The Army officially received its first version of a new Black Hawk helicopter, one modified to allow it to fly without a pilot if soldiers want.
On Friday, the Army said it took possession of the new modified Black Hawk, designated the H-60Mx. The helicopter is pilot optional, or as the military calls it, an “Optimally Piloted Vehicle.” Essentially, the new helicopter can be controlled by an Army aviator inside the aircraft, or remotely via tablet or it can fly autonomously.
The helicopter was developed jointly by the Army, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency or DARPA, and Sikorsky, which manufactures Black Hawks. One of the main features is DARPA’s Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System (ALIAS) program, which enables the helicopter to switch between piloting modes through software add-ons.
As the Army put it in its release, the goal of the ALIAS program was “to reduce the complexity of flying, enhance safety, and allow pilots to focus on higher-level mission tasks.” DARPA has been working on the program for years, initially starting in the 2010s.
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“The ALIAS program has successfully developed and demonstrated a powerful, flexible automation architecture that is now poised to provide the U.S. Army with a significant operational edge,” Stuart Young, ALIAS program manager in DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office, said in an agency statement. .The military and Sikorsky have previously conducted earlier tests with the system, noting that soldiers were able to quickly pick up remotely controlling the Black Hawks via tablet.
As for it the fully autonomous mode, that involves using Sikorsky’s MATRIX autonomous system in the ALIAS kit, which oversees flight control when active. According to the Army, that enables it to carry out take off and landing without a pilot. DARPA first successfully flew an entirely uncrewed Black Hawk in early 2022, flying for roughly 30 minutes over Fort Campbell.
According to the Army, that has been developed into the ALIAS Optimally Piloted Vehicle or OPV kit, which it says will allow for the military to modify existing helicopters already in use rather than rely on entirely brand new aircraft.
There is one bit of hardware change with the H-60Mx however. Instead of mechanical flight controls, it now has an electronic system, which the Army called a “fly-by-wire” system. The military says that improves the aircraft’s stability and control, including in poor conditions.
The H-60Mx is one of several ways that the Army is seeking to find new life for the aging Black Hawk. A few months ago, Sikorsky unveiled the S-70UAS or “U-Hawk,” a modified UH-60L prototype that lacks a cockpit entirely. Instead the front of the helicopter has a clam shell-like opening to allow it to carry small vehicles and cargo. The autonomous prototype is being developed with the goal of accompanying crewed helicopters in missions transporting troops and equipment.
The Army is aiming to add a kit allowing for autonomous operations to hundreds of Black Hawks, as it works to integrate drones and other remote-controlled equipment into operations.
The receipt of the new pilot-optional helicopter comes amid major cuts in Army aviation jobs, as the Army shifts hard in tactics and equipment as it works to integrate drones. The Army is working to eliminate 6,500 aviation jobs including aircrews and pilots, which has impacted morale among soldiers in that field.
Now the H-60Mx is set through an extensive testing phase expected to last several months. According to the Army, that includes testing the remote control system through “complex, real-world mission scenarios.”
