The US military’s first untrained aviator has planned and executed military exercises with Sikorsky’s Black Hawk OPV helicopter.
A U.S. soldier was the first warfighter to execute real-world military mission exercises, using Lockheed Martin Sikorsky’s optionally piloted autonomous Black Hawk helicopter, powered by Matrix Technology.
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Trained less than an hour before the exercise, National Guard Sergeant (1st Class) was the first Soldier to plan, command and execute the Black Hawk OPV using the system’s handheld tablet during Northern Strike 25-2, one of the U.S. Army’s largest readiness exercises.
Sikorsky partnered with the Joint Personnel Recovery Agency and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to demonstrate the capabilities of the Black Hawk OPV in an operational environment.
The soldier, who was able to command multiple airdrops and direct payloads from 70 nautical miles away, achieved a significant milestone by operating the Black Hawk as a true fighter, not as a trained test pilot or engineer.
The OPV Black Hawk was part of a series of exercises in Northern Strike that aimed to demonstrate the readiness and effectiveness of this autonomous system. The first exercise included a logistics recovery and parachute drop operation, followed by an exercise in which the Black Hawk used its hover capabilities to conduct aerial refueling in the field.
In the final exercise, an untrained soldier commanded a medevac recovery operation from inside the plane.
“With lives at stake, Sikorsky’s Matrix flight autonomy system can transform the way military operators conduct their missions,” said Rich Benton, vice president and general manager of Sikorsky.
“An optionally piloted Black Hawk aircraft can reduce pilot workload in a challenging environment or complete a refueling mission without humans on board.
“In challenging logistics situations, a Black Hawk operating as a large drone offers commanders greater resilience and flexibility to get resources to the point where they are needed.”
