The legendary military helicopter now manages without a pilot
US military supplier Sikorsky Aircraft recently unveiled a version of the great Black Hawk that makes the pilot optional.
In the Pentagon's effort to drastically reduce the manpower and maintenance costs of the US armed forces, the 5-ton helicopter is now able to perform autonomous expeditionary and refueling flights!
Sikorsky has been working on the design since 2007 and even managed to convince the chiefs of staff last year to secure even greater funding for the further development of the project.
“Imagine a vehicle that can double the effectiveness of the Black Hawk in Iraq and Afghanistan by often flying with one pilot instead of two, reducing the workload, reducing risk, and when the mission is really boring or particularly dangerous, being able to fly without a pilot at all,” said Chris Van Buiten, Sikorsky vice president.
Sikorsky's Optionally Piloted Black Hawk (OPBH) features many more automations that do not require human supervision, giving the commander the flexibility to determine whether the mission will be manned or unmanned.
The autonomous Black Hawk is another resounding proof of the US military's tendency to replace the human factor wherever possible, reducing costs and losses in its combat operations.
The future of war will be completely different..
Source: newsbeast.gr
