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The first non-trained aviator in the US Army has planned and executed military exercises with Sikorsky’s OPV Black Hawk helicopter.
A US soldier was the first warfighter to execute real-world military mission exercises, using Lockheed Martin Sikorsky’s autonomous optionally piloted Black Hawk helicopter, powered by Matrix Technology.
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Trained less than an hour before the exercise, the National Guard sergeant (First Class) was the first soldier to plan, command and execute the OPV Black Hawk using the system’s handheld tablet device under Northern Strike 25-2, one of the largest readiness exercises in the US Army.
Sikorsky partnered with the Joint Personnel Recovery Agency and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to demonstrate in an operational environment the capabilities of the OPV Black Hawk.
The soldier, who was able to command multiple airborne drops and direct payloads 70 nautical miles away, made a significant milestone operating the Black Hawk as an actual warfighter, not a trained test pilot or engineer.
The OPV Black Hawk was a part of a range of exercises at Northern Strike that aimed to demonstrate the readiness and effectiveness of this autonomous system. The first exercise saw a parachute drop and logistics recovery operation, followed by an exercise that saw the Black Hawk using its hover capabilities to perform aerial resupply in the field.
The final exercise saw an untrained soldier command a medevac recovery operation from inside the aircraft.
“With lives on the line, Sikorsky’s Matrix flight autonomy system can transform how military operators perform 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 resupply mission without humans on board.
“In contested logistics situations, a Black Hawk operating as a large drone offers commanders greater resilience and flexibility to get resources to the point of need.”
