The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, has transitioned an autonomous flight system to the U.S. Army, supporting efforts to transform military aviation and pilot operations.
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What Technology Was Delivered to the Army?
DARPA said Friday it has transferred a fly-by-wire H-60Mx Black Hawk equipped with Sikorsky's MATRIX autonomy suite to the Army for advanced operational testing. The platform, developed under the agency's Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System, or ALIAS, program, is designed to support automated flight operations and reduce pilot workload in demanding mission environments.
What Is the ALIAS Program?
The ALIAS program is an initiative focused on integrating automation into existing aircraft to support mission flexibility and safety. The MATRIX technology was developed and demonstrated through ALIAS using funding from DARPA. The program also completed the first uncrewed Black Hawk flight in 2022, demonstrating full-mission capability from preflight checks to autonomous landing, including responses to simulated failures.
“The ALIAS program has successfully developed and demonstrated a powerful, flexible automation architecture that is now poised to provide the U.S. Army with a significant operational edge,” said Stuart Young, manager of the ALIAS program. ”This transition is a testament to the power of government and industry partnership to advance technology. It will allow the Army to build on a solid foundation of technical-risk reduction, enabling them to explore new warfighting concepts and push the boundaries of what's possible in aviation.”
