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Sikorsky S-97 Raider

2020 MODERN AIRCRAFT X-PLANE FUTURE FLIGHT

History

While the helicopter has evolved since its inception in the 1950s, the "gyroplane" remains largely traditional and true to its roots. With the advent of the U.S. Army's Armed Air Scout (AAS) program designed to replace the venerable Bell OH-58 Kiowa series Sikorsky responded with the S-97 Predator composite rotor concept.

The S-97 uses a coaxial main rotor configuration, each with four blade assemblies plus a six-bladed "thrust" propeller in the tail, to achieve established program objectives. Based on its award-winning technology demonstrator "X-2", the Sikorsky S-97 in militarized form will be capable of strike, troop transport and rapid reconnaissance on the modern battlefield.

Sikorsky products cover multiple industry names, including Northrop Grumman, BAe Systems, Honeywell, Garmin, Goodrich, Esterline, Kamatics, Hamilton Sundstrand, and Ametek, among others.

The U.S. Army announced its AAS program in March 2010, and Sikorsky responded with the S-97 program in October. Ahead of the announcement, Sikorsky gathered extensive data from its one-off two-seat X-2 prototype, which was used as a technology demonstration and powered by an LHTEC T800-LHT-801 series turboshaft engine with 1,300 hp hp to 1,800 hp output. The first flight of this type was recorded on August 27, 2008, and the review continued until July 14, 2011, when the aircraft was taken out of service.

The X-2 proof-of-concept high-speed coaxial rotor flight is a reliable method of helicopter propulsion, with a top speed of 299 mph (an unofficial record for a compound helicopter) and a cruising speed of 288 mph (250 knots). The effective range of the internal fuel supply is 808 miles.

On May 4, 2009, a model of a light tactical helicopter based on X-2 technology was presented.

Performance estimates include a cruising speed of 253 mph (220 knots), a range of 354 miles (mission duration 2 hours 40 minutes on internal fuel). The aircraft has a service ceiling of approximately 10,000 feet.

Due to the unique design nature of the Raider, the Sikorsky product is expected to improve the top speed, mission endurance, hover altitude, payload capacity, acoustic detection level and turning radius quality of conventional rotorcraft.

At the time of this writing (May 2013), Sikorsky will deliver two S-97 prototypes, construction of which began in late 2012. The first flight is planned for sometime in 2014.

In many ways, if the Sikorsky S-97 product were to materialize, it would combine key qualities of several well-known helicopter systems: the obsolete 1970s Lockheed AH-65 Cheyenne attack helicopter (which had a propulsion propeller to enable Arrival in high-speed flight), cancelled Sikorsky RAH-66 "Comanche" light attack "stealth" composite attack helicopter, Russian Kamov Ka-50 "Black Shark" attack helicopter (with coaxial main rotor), The Soviet/Russian Mil Mi-24 "Hind" (with its inherent troop transport capabilities) and Bell OH-58 "Kiowa" light helicopters have relatively compact footprints and flexible handling. By comparison, the Kamov Ka-50 advertised a top speed of 196 mph, while the Lockheed AH-65 Cheyenne topped out at 244 mph (225 mph) during testing.