The Sikorsky Raider X (stylized in all-caps as RAIDER X) 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 will be built as flying prototypes for a competition scheduled for 2023.
| Raider X | |
|---|---|
| Role | Reconnaissance and attack compound helicopter Type of aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Sikorsky Aircraft |
| Status | Under development |
| Developed from | Sikorsky S-97 |
Contracts were awarded in April 2019 to develop concept design candidates for FARA; five different teams were selected, including Sikorsky.[1]
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.[2] 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 is a candidate for the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft program.[3] The Sikorsky compound helicopter designs all use coaxial rigid rotors and a pusher propeller, which Sikorsky has collectively named "X2 Technology".[4]
On March 25, 2020, the Army selected the Raider X and Bell 360 Invictus concept design candidates to proceed to an eventual flight competition;[5] 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.[6][7] Sikorsky had already begun construction of its Raider X prototype by February 2020.[8]
The Raider X, as required by FARA program specifications, is designed to use a single General Electric T901 engine.[9] The GE T901 was developed under the Army's Improved Turbine Engine Program as the new engine for existing and future Army rotorcraft.[10] 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).[2] 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).[11] Swift Engineering will design and build the fuselage.[12]
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.[2]
General characteristics
Performance
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
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