Sikorsky Raider X

Last updated
Raider X
RoleReconnaissance and attack compound helicopter
National origin United States
Manufacturer Sikorsky Aircraft
StatusCancelled
Developed from Sikorsky S-97

The Sikorsky Raider X (stylized in all-caps as RAIDER X) (Sikorsky S-102 [1] ) is a compound helicopter concept with two coaxial rotors and a single pusher propeller, designed by the Sikorsky Aircraft division of Lockheed Martin for the United States Army Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) program. The Raider X concept was announced in October 2019. In March 2020, the Army selected the Raider X and the Bell 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 cancelled in 2024.

Contents

Development

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 the Association of the United States Army on October 14, 2019. The Raider X concept was derived from the earlier Sikorsky S-97 Raider, which had been developed for the Army's Armed Aerial Scout program; the S-97 was in turn developed from the Sikorsky X2 prototype compound coaxial helicopter. [3] A larger Sikorsky–Boeing SB-1 Defiant was also developed from the X2 under the Army's Future Vertical Lift program to create a joint multi-role rotorcraft; the SB-1 was a candidate for the Future 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 and Bell 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 is cancelling 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]

Design

The Raider X, as required by FARA program specifications, is designed to use a single General Electric T901 engine. [12] The GE T901 was developed under the Army's Improved 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 the tandem 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]

Specifications (Raider X)

General characteristics

Performance

See also

Related development

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

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References

  1. ↑ Sikorsky Lifts the Army
  2. ↑ Judson, Jen (23 April 2019). "US Army picks 5 teams to design new attack recon helicopter". Defense News. Archived from the original on 10 January 2024. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 Gallagher, Sean (14 October 2019). "Sikorsky makes its bid for Army's next scout copter". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on 24 May 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  4. ↑ Parsons, Dan (16 March 2020). "Bell's Valor, Sikorsky/Boeing Defiant advance in U.S. Army Future Assault Aircraft program". Vertical. Archived from the original on 9 April 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  5. ↑ "Game-changing X2 Technology™ for Future Tactical Missions". Lockheed Martin. Archived from the original on 13 December 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  6. ↑ Host, Pat (25 March 2020). "US Army selects Bell, Sikorsky for FARA-CP programme". Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  7. ↑ Judson, Jen (3 October 2018). "US Army triggers design competition for future attack reconnaissance helicopter". Defense News. Archived from the original on 10 January 2024. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
  8. ↑ Reim, Garrett (25 March 2020). "US Army selects Bell and Sikorsky to build FARA prototypes". FlightGlobal. Archived from the original on 8 April 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  9. ↑ Judson, Jen (20 February 2020). "Lockheed's Raider X enters construction in advance of US Army's decision on way forward". Defense News. Archived from the original on 24 February 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  10. ↑ Everstine, Brian; Trimble, Steve (8 February 2024). "U.S. Army Cancels FARA In Overhaul Of Aviation Plans". Aviation Week Intelligence Network. Informa Markets. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  11. ↑ "Sikorsky powers up Raider X prototype but has no plans to fly".
  12. ↑ Worley, Sam (17 October 2019). "Meet Raider-X, America's Next-Gen Chopper". Blades of Glory [blog]. General Electric. Archived from the original on 13 November 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  13. ↑ Judson, Jen (15 April 2019). "Army sees path to accelerate ITEP engine program with GE". Defense News. Archived from the original on 15 April 2019. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  14. ↑ Parsons, Dan (14 October 2019). "Sikorsky reveals Raider X for Army's FARA program". Vertical. Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  15. ↑ "Swift Engineering Selected for the Design and Construction of FARA Airframe for Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company". Swift Engineering. 23 December 2019. Archived from the original on 1 June 2023.
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