Sikorsky has introduced production-ready modular armed kits for Black Hawk helicopters, featuring a six-station weapons management suite. These kits enable rapid reconfiguration for assault, close air support, and other missions on the proven UH-60 airframe.
The kits include two 7.62 mm guns, a podded .50 CAL GP-19 machine gun, a 19-rocket MEL pod, and options for precision missiles. Each pilot controls up to four stations on external wings, mixing fixed 12.7 mm guns, Hydra 70 rocket pods, or air-to-ground missiles, plus forward-firing 7.62 mm miniguns.
This upgrade merges attack lethality with utility lift, supporting up to 11 troops, external sling loads, medical evacuations, and ISR sensors. The durable cabin allows quick mission-specific changes, boosting operational flexibility for 21st-century security needs.
Complementing recent advancements, Sikorsky delivered a UH-60MX Black Hawk with full MATRIX autonomy suite integration in March 2026, installed across 60A, 60L, and 60M models. Autonomy features improve mission effectiveness through automated landing-zone detection and obstacle avoidance, while enhancing survivability via real-time threat awareness.
A $43 million Army contract modernizes UH-60s with digital backbones for launched effects drones, airframe upgrades, and fuel enhancements, increasing payload, range, and future autonomy integration. These developments position Black Hawks as multi-role platforms critical for evolving tactical demands.