Sikorsky, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, is unveiling a new unmanned version of the Black Hawk helicopter at AUSA 2025 (October 13-15), which eliminates the cockpit for 25% more cargo space. The unmanned helicopter is called the S-70UAS U-Hawk. It is based on a former U.S. Army UH-60L helicopter and is scheduled to first fly in 2026.
The modification work took about 10 months, and the project benefits from the company’s involvement with the Black Hawk Pilot Optional Vehicle program, which has been flying for years, as well as the MATRIX autonomous flight software.
The S-70UAS will be able to self-deploy up to 1,600 nautical miles, staying airborne for 14 hours without refueling. It will be able to carry a maximum payload of 10,000 pounds (4,535.9 kg). It will be able to deploy unmanned ground vehicles thanks to a modified nose section and launch dozens of unmanned aerial vehicles and/or munitions.
Alternatively, it could carry other types of weapons or electronic warfare systems. In addition to military use, the U-Hawk could be used in aerial firefighting/disaster relief missions.
The S-70UAS could be built new or be a modification of existing UH-60s. As the US Army retires a large number of UH-60Ls, a number modification could be considered, just as was done with the original.
