Lockheed Martin Sikorsky Secures Army Contract to Revamp the Iconic Black Hawk® Helicopter
Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin enterprise (NYSE: LMT), has today unveiled a new U.S. Army agreement that will finance Black Hawk® enhancement engineering initiatives. The initial $43 million agreement will concentrate on essential capabilities for enhancement: improvement of the airframe and incorporation of a digital backbone feature to facilitate swift unmanned aerial systems (UAS) integration. The agreement also encompasses the development of requirements and framework utilizing model-based systems engineering (MBSE).
“Sikorsky is prepared to deploy new technologies that will fortify the battle-tested Black Hawk helicopter and provide U.S. Army personnel a greater advantage in regions such as the Indo-Pacific,” stated Hamid Salim, vice president, Army and Air Force Systems at Sikorsky. “Integrating launched effects into the Black Hawk will amplify its capabilities and provide a considerable edge. Enhancement is minimizing expenses, boosting efficiency, and refining the overall upkeep and support of the aircraft.”
The agreement will assist the Army’s immediate priority to integrate launched effects into the Black Hawk, allowing the aircraft to dispatch UAS and other effects to boost its mission capabilities. Lockheed Martin has been showcasing launched effects capability with Black Hawk for numerous years and is collaborating with the Army to deliver a federated capability in 2026.
The MBSE and digital engineering initiative will concentrate on establishing a digital thread of the Black Hawk for collaborative and efficient design, testing, and maintenance of the aircraft. The Black Hawk digital backbone initiative, supporting a Modular Open System Approach (MOSA), will entail the creation of advanced systems and software to back the aircraft’s modernization. This digital backbone enables rapid capability insertion to swiftly address future platform mission requirements.
This initial effort on airframe enhancements, primary fuel, and digital backbone establishes a robust base for further rapid capability upgrades to Black Hawk. With a stronger engine, airframe enhancements, and a primary fuel upgrade, the aircraft will transport more payload over extended distances, and future enhancements to flight controls will incorporate autonomy and AI functions that will assist pilots in challenging conditions, enhancing mission safety and effectiveness.
“In collaboration with our team of hundreds of American suppliers, we are dedicated to delivering the most advanced and capable modernized Black Hawk to the U.S. Army,” Salim remarked. “We eagerly anticipate continuing our collaboration with the Army to ensure that the Black Hawk remains an essential element of our nation’s defense capabilities for years to come.”
Sikorsky is already deploying technology today that will lead to enhanced capabilities of a modernized Black Hawk. For instance, Sikorsky is manufacturing and supplying upturned exhaust systems II kits. These kits furnish the current Black Hawk and a modernized Black Hawk with significant performance improvements in InfraRed suppression, weight reduction, as well as advancements in reliability and maintainability.
