The U.S. Marine Corps has awarded Sikorsky a $15.5 million contract to develop an autonomous cargo helicopter designed to sustain troops in contested environments without risking crew lives.
Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin subsidiary, will deliver its R66 TURBINETRUCK under the Medium Aerial Resupply Vehicle – Expeditionary Logistics (MARV-EL) Increment 2 programme, according to a company announcement. The aircraft combines Sikorsky’s MATRIX™ autonomy system with Robinson Helicopter Company’s proven R66 airframe, developed in partnership with Robinson Unmanned.
Filling a Critical Logistics Gap
The Marine Corps designed MARV-EL to address a recognised capability gap in its Unmanned Logistics System – Air (ULS-A) programme, with existing options leaving a vacuum between small tactical drones and large strategic airlifters. The programme requires an uncrewed aircraft capable of carrying between 1,300 and 2,500 pounds of cargo to a combat radius of 100 nautical miles, with operators controlling the system through a common digital handheld device.
The platform will support resupply of ammunition, medical supplies, and essential equipment across austere terrain, ship decks, and unimproved landing zones. It is designed to operate where ground transport or crewed aviation assets are unavailable or too dangerous to deploy.
Autonomous Operations at the Forward Edge
The MATRIX system drives the aircraft’s autonomous capability. An operator enters mission objectives into a digital tablet, after which the system generates a flight plan automatically, using onboard sensors and algorithms to navigate to the target location. Sikorsky has previously applied MATRIX to its larger S-70UAS U-Hawk helicopter, with the R66 TURBINETRUCK integrating the same technology at a smaller footprint and lower operating cost. The company also participated in the Marine Corps’ Aerial Logistics Connector Phase 1 programme in 2025, bringing direct operational experience to the MARV-EL effort.
Robinson Unmanned will deliver the first R66 TURBINETRUCK to Sikorsky for integration, testing, and evaluation, with capability demonstrations set to showcase MATRIX’s open architecture design running on the R66 airframe.
Industry Perspectives
Rich Benton, vice president and general manager of Sikorsky, described the R66 TURBINETRUCK as “simple, economical, and re-configurable,” adding that it is ideal for high-risk, hard-to-reach environments where keeping personnel out of harm’s way is essential. David Smith, president and CEO of Robinson Helicopter Company, said the partnership delivers “a game-changing capability that will enhance warfighter readiness.” Paul Fermo, president of Robinson Unmanned, noted that operators need logistics solutions that can keep pace with rapidly changing mission demands without increasing complexity.
Strategic Context
Autonomous aerial logistics has gained significant traction across Western militaries as forces seek to reduce personnel exposure during resupply operations in contested or denied environments. The Marine Corps, shaped by its focus on distributed maritime operations and expeditionary warfare, has a particular interest in lightweight, flexible uncrewed systems capable of operating from ships and remote forward bases. The MARV-EL contract positions Sikorsky and its partners at the forefront of that capability development, with demonstrations expected to validate MATRIX’s platform-agnostic architecture in a new operational context.
Source: Robinson Unmanned & Lockheed Martin
