Mission Underway To Expand Testing of Autonomous RUC-60 Black Hawk | Aviation International News

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Autonomous RUC-60 Black Hawk Testing Expands

Autonomy enables higher-risk missions without risking human crews

Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk — Moog’s Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk that demonstrated automated liftoff, hover, and en-route flight last October.

By Matt Thurber • Editor-in-Chief

March 8, 2026

Honeywell, Moog, and XP Services are collaborating to convert a Sikorsky UH-60L Black Hawk into the RUC-60, equipped with Near Earth Autonomy’s Captain architecture autonomy system. Mission flight testing is expected this year, following earlier integration work and flights of the responsive uncrewed capability (RUC) Black Hawk to prepare for the next phase of testing.

Autonomous helicopters are gaining interest among defense organizations, particularly for their ability to sustain forces without risking human crew members.

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