| S-97 Raider | |
|---|---|
The Raider X is based on theS-97 Raider, seen here in flight | |
| General information | |
| Type | Reconnaissance andattackcompound helicopter |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Sikorsky Aircraft |
| Status | Canceled |
| History | |
| Developed from | Sikorsky S-97 Raider |
TheSikorsky Raider X (stylized in all-caps asRAIDER X) (Sikorsky S-102[1]) is acompound helicopter concept with twocoaxial rotors and a singlepusher propeller, designed by theSikorsky Aircraft division ofLockheed Martin for theUnited States ArmyFuture Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) program. The Raider X concept was announced in October 2019. In March 2020, the Army selected the Raider X and theBell 360 Invictus from a field of five design concept candidates. The Raider X and 360 Invictus concepts were to be built as flying prototypes for a competition scheduled for 2023. The FARA program was canceled in 2024.
Contracts were awarded in April 2019 to develop concept design candidates for FARA; five different teams were selected, including Sikorsky.[2]
Sikorsky presented the Raider X concept candidate at the annual meeting of theAssociation of the United States Army on October 14, 2019. The Raider X concept was derived from the earlierSikorsky S-97 Raider, which had been developed for the Army'sArmed Aerial Scout program; the S-97 was in turn developed from theSikorsky X2 prototype compound coaxial helicopter.[3] A largerSikorsky–Boeing SB-1 Defiant was also developed from the X2 under the Army'sFuture Vertical Lift program to create a joint multi-role rotorcraft; the SB-1 was a candidate for theFuture Long Range Assault Aircraft program.[4] The Sikorsky compound helicopter designs all use coaxial rigid rotors and a pusher propeller, which Sikorsky has collectively named "X2 Technology".[5]
On March 25, 2020, the Army selected the Raider X andBell 360 Invictus concept design candidates to proceed to an eventual flight competition;[6] flying prototypes of each candidate design will be constructed, followed by test flights in 2022 leading up to a competitive flying demonstration no later than fall 2023.[7][8] Sikorsky had already begun construction of its Raider X prototype by February 2020.[9]
The US Army canceled its next generation Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) program, service officials announced on 8 February 2024,[10] taking a potential multi-billion-dollar contract off the table and throwing the service’s long-term aviation plans into doubt.
Raider X was powered up in April 2024, but Sikorsky has no plans for flights.[11]
The Raider X, as required by FARA program specifications, is designed to use a singleGeneral Electric T901 engine.[12] The GE T901 was developed under the Army'sImproved Turbine Engine Program as the new engine for existing and future Army rotorcraft.[13] Based on S-97 and X2 performance, Raider X is expected to have a maximum speed exceeding 250 kn (460 km/h; 290 mph) with a service ceiling greater than 9,000 feet (2,700 m).[3] Sikorsky considers the S-97 to be an 80% scale model of Raider X; Raider X is expected to weigh 14,000 lb (6,400 kg).[14]Swift Engineering will design and build the fuselage.[15]
The cockpit uses side-by-side seats instead of thetandem seating typical of American attack helicopters; internal weapons and sensors are mounted using a modular system, in accordance with FARA specifications, to anticipate future upgrades and obsolescence.[3]
General characteristics
Performance
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era