Sikorsky has completed flight testing and delivered the U.S. Army’s UH-60MX Black Hawk, integrating its MATRIX autonomy suite into an experimental platform designed to accelerate autonomy development.

The aircraft, owned and operated by the Army, supports its push toward open-architecture autonomy and optionally piloted flight across the Black Hawk fleet.

“The Army now has a new tool that furthers its vision laid out in the Army Transformation Initiative to mature and qualify pilot-supported autonomy,” says Rich Benton, vice president and general manager, Sikorsky. “This capability will enhance mission effectiveness and survivability for warfighters today and lay the groundwork for tomorrow’s networked systems.”

The MX configuration builds on Sikorsky’s UH-60A fly-by-wire optionally piloted demonstrator, which has accumulated hundreds of flight hours. MATRIX has now been deployed across UH-60A, UH-60L and UH-60M variants, extending autonomy capability across the fleet.

Integration of fly-by-wire controls and the MATRIX system was completed in 2025 through joint work between Sikorsky and the Army. The Army Combat Capabilities Development Command will use the aircraft to evaluate autonomy performance and operational concepts.

MATRIX introduces automated landing-zone identification, obstacle avoidance and terrain awareness, reducing pilot workload while improving mission effectiveness and survivability. Its open-architecture design also supports reduced maintenance burden and future system upgrades.

The UH-60MX will inform development of techniques, tactics and procedures for human-machine integrated formations operating across combat and support missions.