Airframer
Track the aircraft, companies and sectors you follow — log in to start, or see how it works ›
The Airframer Bulletin › Archive

News archive: Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company

Every Bulletin story and press release covering Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, newest first.

Whole archive

29 items

23 July

Sikorsky eyes Europe for NGRC manufacturing

Talks with European aerospace firms have begun as Sikorsky looks to establish a locally sourced production line alongside its Asian X2 variant work.

25 March MATRIX integration will extend autonomy capability across UH-60A, UH-60L and UH-60M variants.

Sikorsky advances Black Hawk autonomy with UH-60MX delivery

The UH-60MX becomes the U.S. Army’s first Black Hawk equipped with full-authority fly-by-wire controls, enabling seamless operation in both piloted and optionally piloted modes.

12 March The S-92A+ introduces a series of upgrades designed to extend performance and durability.

Sikorsky prepares production run of upgraded S-92A+

Assembly of the first upgraded S-92A+ helicopters will begin in New York as Sikorsky prepares for growing government and offshore transport demand.

9 October 2025 The Nomad will serve both defence and civilian organisations worldwide.

Sikorsky expands Nomad family of hybrid-electric VTOLs

Designed to blend helicopter agility with fixed-wing range, the hybrid-electric Nomad family advances autonomous flight across defence and civilian domains.

2 October 2025 Sikorsky has already delivered 20 CH-53Ks, with 63 more in production.

Sikorsky secures largest CH-53K order with $10.9 billion Navy deal

The multi-year contract covers up to 99 CH-53K helicopters for the U.S. Marine Corps and ensures deliveries through 2034.

17 April 2025 More than 2.4 million flight hours across 300 aircraft informed the HUMS integration strategy.

Sikorsky and SKYTRAC introduce real time HUMS for S-92 fleet

SKYTRAC’s Certus connectivity and Sikorsky’s monitoring systems were brought together to deliver exceedance detection, real-time alerts and automatic post-flight data transfer.

7 November 2024 The CH-53K is a heavy-lift rotorcraft for the United States military and allied partners.

TIGHITCO receives production and spares award for CH-53K

The CH-53K King Stallion ramp in production signals program reliability and stability and advances the platform's manufacturing and operational success. TIGHITCO is delighted to continue to be on board.

16 October 2024 DEVCOM’s MX Black Hawk aircraft to be equipped with the MATRIX autonomy system.

DARPA taps Sikorsky to add autonomy to U.S. Army Black Hawk

Designated MX, the upgraded aircraft will enable the U.S. Army to test and evaluate a wide range of autonomy capabilities, from single pilot operation to fully uninhabited flight.

24 July 2024 The Black Hawk UH-60.

TIGHITCO produces aerostructure system for Black Hawk

The new system which has been in collaborative development for nearly a decade, will be used on Sikorsky's Black Hawk Helicopter UH-60 platform and be a critical component for the aircraft's performance and safety.

5 June 2024 Lockheed Martin’s newest facility in Huntsville has room for 500 full-time employees with an additional 50-100 lab seats.

Lockheed Martin opens $18m engineering facility in North Alabama

Teams in the new facility will advance readiness and sustainment for the U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, including the current Multi-Year X contract with production, Foreign Military Sales and all upgrades.

5 June 2024

GS Precision and Jeh Aerospace secure long-term manufacturing partnership

The facility will manufacture precision machine components for commercial aero-engines. This strategic alliance aims to enhance GS Precision's global supply chain, ensuring world-class quality and timely delivery.

29 May 2024 ANCILLARY design concept renderings from all six performers, clockwise from lower left: Sikorsky, Karem Aircraft, Griffon Aerospace, Method Aeronautics, AeroVironment and Northrop Grumman.

DARPA shows concepts for the future of VTOL uncrewed aerial systems

In Phase Ib, six companies - AeroVironment, Griffon Aerospace, Karem Aircraft, Method Aeronautics, Northrop Grumman and Sikorsky - will mature their X-plane designs.

29 February 2024 Sikorsky is to build, test and fly a hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing demonstrator (HEX/VTOL) with a tilt-wing configuration.

Sikorsky looks to a future family of VTOL systems

The HEX program will put a premium on greater than 500 nautical mile range at high speed, fewer mechanical systems to reduce complexity, and lower maintenance costs.

25 January 2024

Component maker eyes future business with fresh contracts

Air Industries is focused on increasing its workshare on the Sikorsky CH-53K, but its second recent contract gain represents an important first step from a large OEM in establishing a relationship that will grow materially.

9 August 2023 Visual sensing will provide real-time insights into the health of the helicopters.

IAI selects Odysight.ai health monitoring for UH60

Odysight.ai's multiple highly resilient video-based sensors, embedded software, video analytics and AI algorithms will be specifically designed for the UH60 helicopter.

8 June 2023 In the centre holding scissors: U.S. Representative Chrissy Houlahan, with Frederick Weyerhaeuser Piaseck (Chairman of the Board and Chief Technology Officer at PiAC) to the left and John Weyerhaeuser Piasecki (President and Chief Executive Officer at PiAC) to the right, also holding scissors.

Piasecki sets up shop in former Sikorsky factory

The company will transform the 219,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility into an advanced R&D centre for next-generation VTOL aircraft, Unmanned Aerial Systems and related enabling technologies.

9 March 2023

Sikorsky puts faith in CMC flight management system

The CMA-2082MC is a complete FMS with integrated radio management. It features navigation, communications and mission software, while benefiting from small size, low weight and reduced costs.

5 January 2023 Sikorsky employees build CH-53K aircraft using 3-D work instructions, new titanium machining centres with multi-floor ergonomic platforms.

Sikorsky tasked with full-rate production for CH-53K

Full-rate production will give confidence in the diverse network of more than 200 CH‑53K suppliers across 35 states, allowing bulk purchases and resulting efficiencies.

10 November 2022 Sikorsky demonstrates to the U.S. Army for the first time how an optionally piloted Black Hawk helicopter flying in autonomous mode could resupply forward forces. These uninhabited Black Hawk flights occurred in October at Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona. Photo: Sikorsky.

Partners prove more potential for the unmanned Black Hawk

Sikorsky is partnered with DARPA to develop autonomy technology to improve the flight safety and efficiency of rotary and fixed-wing aircraft. Sikorsky's MATRIX technology forms the core of DARPA's ALIAS project.

3 November 2022

Quadrant assembly order furthers AIG Blackhawk contracts

Air Industries has been a key supplier to the Blackhawk for many years. Since January it has received twelve new long-term agreements for the helicopter with an estimated value of over $30 million.

13 October 2022

Sikorsky tasks Magellan with King Stallion assemblies

The CH-53K achieved initial operating capability in 2022 and is on track to deploy to the fleet in 2024. The Marine Corps plans to deploy the first CH-53K Marine Expeditionary Unit detachment in fiscal year 2024.

6 April 2022 Collins Aerospace will provide all three seating platforms and its Perigon computer for the DEFIANT X advanced utility helicopter.

Collins applies commercial seating tech to military helicopter

Collins Aerospace will supply the DEFIANT X with armoured pilot, cabin crew and troop seats. And its Perigon flight control computer will tackle the helicopter's utility management, prognostic health and autonomy.

6 April 2022 Highly integrated hydraulics and flight controls from Parker Aerospace land the lowest risk and weight, plus highest reliability for the Sikorsky-Boeing DEFIANT X.

Parker pumps and actuation feature in DEFIANT X

A long-standing supplier of the flight controls and hydraulic power systems for the Army's Black Hawk and Apache helicopters, Parker Aerospace will now be part of the DEFIANT X collaborative team.

9 March 2022 Kaman Aerospace Jacksonville Division will continue to deliver the HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopter cockpit from 2022 through 2025.

Sikorsky extends Kaman cockpit deal for the HH-60W

Kaman has been providing H-60 cockpits since 2004 and a new deal now takes the arrangement with Sikorsky up to 2025 for the HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopter.

16 February 2022 Mark Cherry, vice president and general manager, Boeing Vertical Lift; Ricky Freeman, president, Defense & Space at Honeywell Aerospace and Paul Lemmo, president of Sikorsky celebrate Honeywell’s selection as engine provider for Defiant X.

Defiant team selects Honeywell power for Army contender

The Defiant X flies twice as far and fast as the venerable Black Hawk helicopter it is designed to replace, and is currently undergoing testing in a digital combat environment. The Army's contract award is expected this year.

16 February 2022 Albany Engineered Composites has been selected by Sikorsky Aircraft to produce the complete CH-53K aft transition assembly.

Albany wins ten-year contract for CH-53K assemblies

Long-lead funding is already under way to support the assembly of CH-53K aft transitions, and the contract is expected to be finalised in the first quarter of 2022 with first deliveries in 2023.

10 February 2022 The UH-60 Black Hawk successfully flew for 30 minutes without anyone onboard.

Crewless Black Hawk flight proves DARPA's concept

ALIAS is designed for existing manned aircraft, enabling safe reduced crew operations. Adding high levels of automation, it also provides a platform for integrating autonomous capabilities tailored for specific missions.

18 March 2021 Element will provide magnetic particle inspection and fluorescent penetrant testing for Sikorsky's fasteners.

Element picks up more NDT from Sikorsky

Now approved by Sikorsky at a fourth location, Element is well placed to build business for its highly specialist non-destructive testing services. The Newtown laboratory is a Center of Excellence for aerospace.

28 January 2021 The DEFINAT X will feature a rigid coaxial rotor system and pusher propeller.

Sikorsky-Boeing team pitches DEFIANT X for FLRAA

Replacing that solid trooper, the Black Hawk will not be easy. But Sikorsky and Boeing have built 90 percent of the U.S. Army's current military rotorcraft, and believe their candidate, the DEFIANT X will meet the challenge.