The War Zone
• Howard Altman, Joseph Trevithick
Bell has completed the first nacelles for the U.S. Army’s MV-75 Cheyenne tiltrotor and begun gearbox testing, marking progress on the Black Hawk replacement. Rolls-Royce has also outlined its propulsion role and manufacturing plans for the MV-75, alongside its work on the Army’s XM30 fighting vehicle.
Sikorsky
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Canada has paused its planned purchase of UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters amid trade tensions with the United States. The available report does not specify the number of aircraft, a revised procurement timeline or whether Canada is considering an alternative.
Bell has completed the first nacelles for the U.S. Army’s MV-75 Cheyenne tiltrotor and begun gearbox testing, marking progress on the Black Hawk replacement. Rolls-Royce has also outlined its propulsion role and manufacturing plans for the MV-75, alongside its work on the Army’s XM30 fighting vehicle.
Israel has signed an agreement with the Pentagon to acquire 12 of Boeing’s latest AH-64E Apache attack helicopters. The purchase moved forward after the Israeli government approved a reallocation of funds to resolve a budget impasse; the helicopters are scheduled for delivery at the beginning of the 2030s.
Sikorsky’s NOMAD 100 Fast Pack combines vertical-takeoff-and-landing drones with communications, power and sustainment equipment in a mobile, container-deployable package. The system is designed to move between operating positions and support deployment where infrastructure is limited, addressing the logistics of launching and sustaining uncrewed aircraft in expeditionary and contested environments.
The Army will test Sierra Nevada Corp.’s Degraded Visual Environment Pilotage System on an “MX” autonomous Black Hawk. Designed to see through dust, fog and smoke, the system is already flying with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, extending its evaluation to an autonomous aircraft.
Sikorsky introduced the Nomad 100 Fast Pack, a containerized kit intended to let customers rapidly deploy autonomous vertical takeoff and landing capability from locations with limited infrastructure. The announcement positions portability and rapid setup as central features of the uncrewed aircraft system.
Lockheed Martin has contracted to supply the Philippine Air Force with systems and services for training S-70i pilots and maintenance personnel, including a full-flight simulator. The agreement supports in-country training and sustainment for the helicopter fleet, with training and support extending through 2032.
Sikorsky’s planned UH-60 upgrade suite includes new engines, greater range, launched effects and expanded autonomy, alongside the uncrewed U-Hawk. The company’s “Black Hawk 2070” strategy calls for the pilotless aircraft to fly this year, extending the platform’s role beyond crewed helicopter operations.
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