Sikorsky Unveils U‑Hawk Autonomous Black Hawk

Sikorsky showed a crewless future for the Black Hawk on October 13, 2025.

The Sikorsky U-Hawk (an autonomous Black Hawk conversion) debuted at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) exposition in Washington, DC on October 13, 2025. The firm described the program as a retrofit that swaps a traditional crewed cockpit for a fully autonomous flight system, positioning the UH-60 airframe for unmanned or optionally crewed missions.

What the U-Hawk brings to the UH-60

Sikorsky says the conversion delivers significantly increased cargo capacity and enhanced battle-ready capabilities while retaining the rugged UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter architecture. The maker framed the U-Hawk as a potential candidate for future U.S. Army and allied procurement programs, underlining the growing emphasis on unmanned systems in rotorcraft roles.

• Autonomy: full autonomous flight system replacing traditional cockpit controls — a central feature of the Sikorsky U-Hawk.
• Payload: claimed increases in cargo capacity compared with baseline UH-60 configurations.
• Mission fit: upgrades intended to support combat logistics, resupply, and unmanned sortie profiles.

The announcement at AUSA highlights ongoing innovation in military rotorcraft and systems integration rather than an immediate fielding schedule. Sikorsky positioned the U-Hawk as a conversion path that could leverage existing UH-60 logistics and maintenance networks while offering new mission flexibility for the U.S. Army and international partners.

Analysts will watch how the program moves from concept and demonstration to formal acquisition planning. Key questions include certification pathways for autonomy on military rotorcraft, interoperability with current Army systems, and timelines for testing and field trials. For now, the October 13, 2025 reveal serves as a clear signal that Sikorsky is betting on autonomous and optionally crewed variants of proven helicopter platforms.