With dense rain forests, rugged mountain ranges, and far-flung land masses, the terrain in the Indo-Pacific presents a unique challenge for ground forces. Adversaries have lots of places to hide. Severe weather and thick foliage make gathering intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or ISR, difficult.
Fortunately, the U.S. Army has an ace up its sleeve: crewed-uncrewed teaming. In the critical airspace between the ground and 1,000 feet up – known as the lower-tier air/ground domain – crewed-uncrewed teaming will give ground commanders sharper eyes in the sky than they’ve ever had.
See Farther, Sense Faster, Strike First
Picture this: flying low over a dense forest, a Black Hawk helicopter approaches the edge of a contested area. The Black Hawk deploys Launched Effects (LE) drones that proliferate and scan the terrain, aiding recon and threat identification for the ground maneuver commander.
The Black Hawk remains on station, connecting to the LE-enabled mesh network, relaying data from the drones to forces on the ground.
In a command center, Division leaders watch new data pour into their battle command screens. Hidden enemy units are revealed, and commanders task attack helicopters and HIMARS units with targets.
Before the enemy knows they’ve been spotted, a multi-domain, synchronized Army goes to work.
Meanwhile, a platoon leader on the ground uses the integrated network to take control of the drones that autonomously scan the path ahead as his unit pushes forward.
In a logistics center, Black Hawks and Rotor Blown Wing drones – tail-sitting aircraft that can take off like a helicopter and fly like a plane – are loaded with ammunition, fuel and supplies.
When forward units need a resupply, teams of piloted Black Hawks and autonomous Rotor Blown Wings, built by Lockheed Martin Sikorsky, work together and fly thousands of pounds of cargo to the front, even in contested areas.
A Future Within Reach
That future is just around the corner. The Army is driving a clear and strong vision for crewed-uncrewed teaming and recognizes the transformational potential it holds. Lockheed Martin engineers and Army innovators have been working side-by-side at numerous exercises to pressure test this technology in real-world conditions.
Here are three things the Army, Department of Defense, and Congress can do to help make this vision a reality – faster:
1 - Modernize the Black Hawk
Launched Effect drones are tremendous assets, but their limited range means they need a proven and survivable platform like the Black Hawk to bring them closer to the action and maximize their time on station. Modernizing the Black Hawk is a low-risk, affordable path to meet these and other critical needs that include:
· Introducing engine upgrades that provide the Black Hawk increased payload, range and capacity to meet the needs of forces in the Indo-Pacific;
· Integrating on-board drones and launchers, strengthening the Black Hawk’s role as a forward node on the network; and
· Installing a modular open systems approach, or MOSA, digital backbone, so the Black Hawk can enable forward mission command of launched effects and other uncrewed aircraft.
With the right partnership and agility, we will deliver initial federated mission command across air and ground platforms by early 2026, giving maneuver commanders new capabilities to find, fix, and finish enemy forces.
2 - Cultivate a Range of New Uncrewed Systems
Drone technology is advancing at a rapid pace, and the Army can take advantage of industry investments and innovations by cultivating a wide range of uncrewed systems to meet multiple mission needs. Small, expendable and autonomous drones can conduct contested ISR, while larger, survivable vertical takeoff and landing drones can deliver supplies or conduct deep reconnaissance. Uncrewed ground vehicles can carry extra supplies and act as eyes and ears for forces on-the-move. The time is now, and we are ready with the technology to make this a reality.
3 - Embrace Scalable Autonomy for Crewed and Uncrewed Aircraft
Autonomous systems are more advanced, more capable, and safer than ever. While autonomy cannot replace the abilities of a well-trained human pilot, it can expand capabilities and make pilots faster, smarter, and more effective.
We have proven how our MATRIX™ technology can enable on-board autonomy to make flying in the lower-tier air domain safer, and provide pilots sensors that can see clearly in fog, darkness, and low visibility. Autonomous systems can even “take the stick” when pilots need to focus on critical mission objectives. Finally, we are building systems that are fully autonomous to provide expanded sensing, weapon systems, and additional lift. The Army can take full advantage of those benefits by advancing scalable autonomy for both piloted aircraft and drones.
Innovation is the Heart of Deterrence
Connected systems that deliver peak performance in the mission’s moment of truth give American forces a towering and formidable advantage.
These advances won’t just make tomorrow’s Army more lethal. They’ll give adversaries reason to think twice about picking a fight. And ultimately, that’s the goal of defense tech innovation.
