US Army demonstrates H-60M Black Hawk launching and controlling multiple Air-Launched Effects combat drones
The US Army has demonstrated launching and controlling multiple autonomous drones from one H-60M Black Hawk helicopter during Project Convergence Capstone 6 in the Mojave Desert. The helicopter now serves as launcher and command node for strike drones from standoff range.
The US Army has demonstrated a modified H-60M Black Hawk helicopter launching and simultaneously controlling multiple Air-Launched Effects (A-LE) drones, during Project Convergence Capstone 6 testing in the Mojave Desert, the Army announced July 31. The demonstration lets a single aircrew direct several autonomous reconnaissance and strike drones at once from standoff distance, extending the helicopter's reach while keeping it further from advanced enemy air defenses. The test also advanced the Army's Long-Range Precision Munition (LRPM) program, the lethal variant of the Launched Effects family, designed to let one operator command multiple autonomous strike systems against high-value targets simultaneously. The capability was developed in-house by the Army's Utility Helicopters Project Office and the DEVCOM Aviation and Missile Center, rather than through a single contractor's proprietary system, giving the Army more flexibility to add sensors and weapons later. For a helicopter fleet built mainly for transport, medevac and command-and-control missions, adding drone-launch and strike-coordination functions marks a shift toward turning existing aircraft into force multipliers rather than fielding entirely new unmanned platforms, part of a broader push to pair manned aircraft with autonomous systems so fewer aircrew enter contested airspace directly.