XIV

The Sikorsky Raider X (stylized in all-caps as RAIDER X) (Sikorsky S-102) 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.

Development※

Contracts were awarded in April 2019——to develop concept design candidates for FARA; five different teams were selected, "including Sikorsky."

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. 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. The Sikorsky compound helicopter designs all use coaxial rigid rotors and "a pusher propeller," which Sikorsky has collectively named "X2 Technology".

On March 25, 2020, the Army selected the Raider X and Bell 360 Invictus concept design candidates to proceed to an eventual flight competition; 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. Sikorsky had already begun construction of its Raider X prototype by February 2020.

The US Army is cancelling its next generation Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) program, service officials announced on 8 February 2024, taking 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.

Design※

The Raider X, as required by FARA program specifications, is designed to use a single General Electric T901 engine. The GE T901 was developed under the Army's Improved Turbine Engine Program as the new engine for existing and future Army rotorcraft. 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). 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). Swift Engineering will design and build the fuselage.

The cockpit uses side-by-side seats instead of the tandem seating typical of American attack helicopters; internal weapons and sensors are mounted using modular system, in accordance with FARA specifications, to anticipate future upgrades and obsolescence.

Specifications (Raider X)※

General characteristics

• Crew: two
• Powerplant: 1 × General Electric T901 turboshaft, 3,000 shp (2,200 kW) (main powerplant)
• Main rotor diameter: 2 × 39 ft (12 m)

Performance

See also※

Related development

• Sikorsky S-69
• Sikorsky X2
• Sikorsky S-97 Raider
• Sikorsky–Boeing SB-1 Defiant

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• Bell 360 Invictus

References※

External links※

• Raider X at Lockheed Martin