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Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, has been awarded a $15.5 million contract by the United States Marine Corps for the Medium Aerial Resupply Vehicle – Expeditionary Logistics (MARV-EL) Increment 2 program involving the R66 TURBINETRUCK developed with Robinson Unmanned.
The contract award is for the R66 TURBINETRUCK, an autonomous cargo helicopter commercially developed by Sikorsky and Robinson Unmanned. The platform combines Sikorsky’s MATRIX autonomy system with the R66 airframe from Robinson Helicopter Company to provide a flexible, affordable and rapid combat sustainment solution.
The MARV-EL program is intended to address a capability gap between small tactical drones and large strategic airlifters by providing a “middleweight” uncrewed logistics platform capable of operating from austere forward operating bases, ship decks, and unimproved landing zones.
The platform is intended to support the delivery of ammunition, medical supplies, and other essential equipment regardless of terrain, weather, or enemy threat, and support operations when ground or crewed aviation assets are unavailable. The R66 TURBINETRUCK is designed to support operations while reducing personnel exposure in high-risk scenarios.
According to program requirements, MARV-EL requires an uncrewed aircraft capable of carrying a logistics payload between 1,300 and 2,500 lbs to a combat radius of 100 nautical miles using a common digital handheld device. Operators enter mission objectives into a digital tablet, after which the system automatically generates a flight plan and uses sensors and algorithms to guide the aircraft to its destination. The R66 TURBINETRUCK incorporates MATRIX autonomy features similar to those used on Sikorsky’s autonomous S-70UAS U-Hawk helicopter while operating with a smaller footprint and lower operating cost.
Rich Benton, Vice President and General Manager of Sikorsky, commented, “As we expand the MATRIX family, we also extend the reach of uncrewed solutions for both civil and military customers. The commercially developed R66 TURBINETRUCK is simple, economical and re-configurable; 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, added, “Our partnership with Sikorsky brings the trusted performance and reliability of the R66 platform into the unmanned logistics arena. The R66 TURBINETRUCK represents a significant step forward in expanding proven rotorcraft into scalable, autonomous cargo solutions for demanding operational environments. Together, we are delivering a game-changing capability that will enhance warfighter readiness and open new opportunities for safe, reliable and affordable autonomous transport.”
Under the agreement, Robinson Unmanned will deliver the first R66 TURBINETRUCK to Sikorsky for integration, test and evaluation, and demonstration. Demonstrations will showcase the MATRIX system’s platform-agnostic and open architecture design operating on the R66 TURBINETRUCK airframe.
Sikorsky previously participated in the U.S. Marine Corps’ Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) Phase 1 program in 2025 and will apply that experience to MARV-EL Increment 2.
Paul Fermo, President of Robinson Unmanned, stated, “Operators need logistics solutions that can keep pace with rapidly changing mission demands without increasing complexity. By combining MATRIX’s advanced autonomous capability with the rugged, flight-proven R66 airframe, the R66 TURBINETRUCK delivers that capability whenever and wherever it’s needed—no matter the environment.”
Robinson Unmanned will showcase its solutions at XPONENTIAL USA 2026 at Booth 18030.
