Sikorsky Raider-X

History of the Sikorsky Raider-X

The Future Armed Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) is the U.S. Army's eye on the battlefield of the future, with fast-moving helicopters supporting friendly ground forces in contested areas.

The program falls under the broader Future Vertical Lift (FVL) program, which seeks five different helicopter types designed to share many common core components to follow the attack by the Boeing (Hughes) AH-64 Apache Platform and Sikorsky-led aging helicopter unit UH-60 Black Hawk transport aircraft. The program is a response to the aging and widespread abuse of U.S. helicopter forces during their prolonged deployments in Operations Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and Iraqi Freedom (Iraq).

One of the most important helicopter types is the Bell OH-58 "Kiowa" armed light reconnaissance aircraft, which was due to be retired from the Army in the mid-2030s. The winner of the FARA competition is expected to play the same role on the battlefield, but with significant advantages in performance, gun transportability and modern tactical flexibility.

Another key feature of the Raider-X is the side-by-side cockpit seats (adapted from the S-97 demonstrator), uncommon in Western attack helicopter types, which improve communication between the two crew members and Provides a second pair of eyes in the front of the fuselage (as opposed to the tandem seats commonly found on attack helicopters). For the same reason, the Russian Kamov Ka-52 "Crocodile" attack helicopter adopts a side-by-side two-seat configuration.

All proposed weapons carried by Raider-X are stored in internal bays to reduce the aircraft's radar signature. These bays only open when the gun is ready to be released. Another benefit of this mass is aerodynamic efficiency, especially at higher speeds.

The armament will consist mostly of anti-tank missiles (ATGMs) (like the tried and true Hellfire), but it is understood that "smart" and "dumb" missiles as well as suppressing cannons/cannon pods will be from enemy elements within range.

The Sikorsky Raider-X competes directly with the Bell 360 "Invictus" (detailed elsewhere on this page), also launched in October 2019. Both are offered in "unmanned" versions to meet Army requirements.

Sikorsky's affiliation with parent brand Lockheed Martin gives it access to a large number of engineers, as well as industry influence and project funding. However, Bell Helicopter is also a long-term producer of many successful helicopter designs - including the famous UH-1 "Huey" and AH-1 "Cobra" series.

The U.S. Army expects to select a winner for the prototype round in 2020, while direct two-type departures are planned for 2023. The first mission-level units are expected to be delivered sometime in 2028.

Specification

Basic

Production

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Changes