Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) dubbed The Lakota offers comprehensive capabilities
The U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) is set to embrace a new era of unmanned aviation, with the development of the MQ-72C, an autonomous variant of the UH-72 Lakota helicopter. This project, spearheaded by Airbus U.S. Space & Defense Inc, aims to revolutionise logistics and utility missions in contested environments.
The MQ-72C is derived from the twin-engined UH-72 Lakota, a utility and training helicopter already in service with the U.S. Army and National Guard. The transformation centers on embedding Shield AI’s Hivemind artificial intelligence autonomy agent, a system renowned for its capacity for improvisation and tactical innovation.
The partnership between Airbus and Shield AI was formalized in early 2025, and the program is now in its second year under the U.S. Department of Defense's Middle Tier of Acquisition Rapid Prototyping initiative. The development includes iterative autonomous flight testing, operational demonstrations, and aims to extend mission autonomy into complex logistics scenarios and potentially other helicopter platforms.
Despite the progress, challenges remain. Ensuring reliable operation in complex, contested logistics environments demands robust autonomy capable of handling unexpected situations without human intervention. Regulatory approval and safety certification are significant hurdles given the novelty of fully autonomous rotary-wing flight for military logistics. Integration with existing military command, control, and communication systems poses technical and operational complexities.
Supply chain issues affecting Airbus broadly, such as recent engine shortages and production delays tied to wider aerospace industry disruptions, may indirectly impact program timelines. Competitive pressure from other defense contractors pursuing autonomous helicopter systems is driving rapid advancement but also increasing development risk and the need for rapid prototyping and demonstration.
The versatility of the Lakota makes it suitable for a variety of unmanned operations. An unmanned platform is better suited to keep up with the demand of resupplying marine units distributed throughout the first island chain. The computer architecture and integration of unmanned systems enable the Lakota to perform a wide range of missions it couldn’t before, such as ferrying cargo to forward bases operating independently.
The use of unmanned systems can allow for more hours of operation per day than manned systems, making them an attractive option in the face of increased threat levels. The USMC is already deploying unmanned aerial systems (UAS) for long-duration, extended distance missions. The potential mission for the unmanned UH-72 Lakota involves resupplying marine units of 60 to 70 people distributed throughout the first island chain.
Airbus has already fielded unmanned naval rotorcraft in Europe, which will aid in the smooth integration of the UH-72 into operations. The Lakota’s versatility, combined with its extensive support networks, ensures a smoother transition from development to prototyping and production.
In summary, the MQ-72C development is an advanced effort to convert a proven manned helicopter into a versatile unmanned logistics platform by combining Airbus’s rotary-wing expertise with Shield AI’s leading autonomy software. Although significant technical, safety, and regulatory challenges remain, successful prototype flights have marked important milestones toward operational deployment for the USMC.
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