Sikorsky has launched the 'Nomad 100 fast pack' a containerised vertical takeoff and landing uncrewed aerial system (UAS) kit, designed to help customers rapidly deploy autonomous air capability from austere and infrastructure-limited locations.

The fast pack delivers that capability in a single 20‑foot ISO container that houses four Nomad 100 aircraft, mission‑command software, power, communications and sustainment equipment, all designed for maximum mobility, rapid set‑up and minimal personnel requirements, Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, said.

“By packaging aircraft, mission command, communications, power and sustainment into a single containerized system, we are making it easier to move, employ and reposition VTOL UAS capability with urgency and flexibility,” said Rich Benton, vice president and general manager, Sikorsky.

In its planned configuration, two Nomad 100 aircraft can be mission ready in less than 15 minutes, with two additional aircraft available within four to six hours.

The containerized system is designed for runway independent launch from locations such as naval vessels, tactical vehicle staging areas and improvised landing zones. 

Integrated communications, power, and sustainment equipment are designed to extend mission availability with reduced external support, it said.

The kit is also designed for rapid movement between operating locations. Once a mission is complete, the container can be repacked, loaded onto a compatible transport vehicle and moved to a new site to support follow-on operations.

The Nomad 100 fast pack is developed to help customers close critical operational gaps where runway-independent launch, limited forward support and rapid relocation are mission priorities. 

Depending on customer configuration, Nomad 100 fast pack can enable missions including ISR-T, light attack, and contested logistics, giving operators multirole capabilities in challenging and dynamic environments, it added.

Nomad 100 is part of Sikorsky’s Nomad family of systems, a runway-independent VTOL UAS family designed for austere operations across land and sea.