Airbus Develops MQ-72C Lakota Connector for USMC Aerial Logistics Program
Airbus U.S. Space & Defense is in the second year of a five-year project to develop the MQ-72C Lakota Connector, an unmanned variant of the UH-72 Lakota helicopter. This project is part of the USMC's Aerial Logistics Connector program, aimed at enhancing logistics support for distributed Marine forces. Key partnerships include Shield AI for autonomy integration and L3Harris for mission systems. The aircraft conducted its first autonomous flight in August 2025 and aims for initial production by 2029.
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Airbus U.S. Space & Defense is developing the MQ-72C Lakota Connector, an unmanned variant of the UH-72 Lakota, as part of the USMC's Aerial Logistics Connector program. Utilizing an H145 D3 as a testbed, Airbus partnered with Shield AI for autonomy integration and L3Harris for mission systems.
The aircraft completed its first autonomous flight in August 2025. The project aims to enable rapid logistics delivery to Marine units distributed across island chains. By 2029, Airbus plans to transition to production at its Columbus, Mississippi facility, with a focus on cost-effective, risk-worthy operations for the Marine Corps.
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