Honeywell and Near Earth Autonomy have completed the first successful autonomous test flight of a Leonardo AW139 helicopter, marking a major milestone in support of the U.S. Marine Corps Aerial Logistics Connector (ALC) program.
This flight demonstrates the feasibility of uncrewed autonomous aircraft operating in contested environments, without a pilot onboard or remote operator.
The test flight of Honeywell’s AW139 took place in Phoenix, Arizona, in May and marks a critical step toward delivering scalable, autonomous logistics support to the United States Marine Corps (USMC). For the first time, key autopilot modes of the AW139 were controlled directly by Near Earth’s onboard autonomy software, without pilot input, showcasing precise flight control and autonomous decision-making.
Managed under a Naval Aviation Systems Consortium Other Transaction Agreement (OTA), the ALC program, led by Near Earth Autonomy as a prime performer, aims to develop and deploy autonomous aerial logistics systems that reduce personnel risk while increasing the speed and scale of supply operations.
Future testing will expand autonomy capabilities, including automated obstacle avoidance and integration into military logistics workflows, resulting in a safer, uncrewed delivery system that boosts operational readiness and improves responsiveness in theatre.
Bob Buddecke, President, Electronic Solutions, Honeywell Aerospace, commented, “Not only is this successful demonstration a major step in creating brand new possibilities for the USMC, but it also creates a potential pathway for use by other helicopter operators as well.
“Together with Near Earth Autonomy and Leonardo, we’re showing how existing aircraft can be adapted with trusted avionics to support the next generation of defense logistics. Uncrewed aircraft will be vital in keeping service men and women as safe as possible in contested environments, and we are one step closer to realizing that vision.”
Dr. Sanjiv Singh, CEO of Near Earth Autonomy, added, “This flight showcases Near Earth Autonomy’s leadership in developing trusted autonomy for real-world operations. By directly controlling the AW139’s flight modes with our autonomy system, we’ve shown that scalable autonomous logistics using existing platforms is not just possible — it’s happening now. This capability is essential for reducing risk to military personnel and ensuring resilient supply chains in the field.”
Honeywell’s partnership with Near Earth Autonomy seeks to develop an autonomy solution that is affordable, scalable, and certifiable for future missions. Honeywell provides mission-critical systems engineered for both retrofit and next-generation aircraft. These solutions are built to meet today’s operational demands while supporting the long-term shift to uncrewed and highly autonomous flight.
