Construction and promotion of a promising American reconnaissance and strike aircraft

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Experienced Sikorsky S-97 at the Redstone Arsenal airfield

The US Army continues to work on the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) promising reconnaissance and strike aircraft program. Various events are held, necessary documents are accepted, etc. Companies that claim to win and receive contracts in the future are also actively working. For example, the Sikorsky company is trying to attract a customer not only with a finished project, but also with experimental equipment.

Organizational matters


In December 2020, the Pentagon, through the relevant department, approved the Final Design and Risk Review (FD&RR) for the FARA program, which is part of the larger FVL. Thus, the customer appreciated the projects submitted for the competition and recognized them as suitable for further development and comparison. A more successful model will be adopted in the future and will replace the existing helicopters.



On April 9, a meeting of the Requirements Oversight Council (ROC) took place, during which a new defining document was drawn up and approved. The Abbreviated Capabilities Development Document (A-CDD) approves the tactical and technical requirements for advanced aircraft. Further development of the competition projects will be carried out in accordance with the new A-CDD.


Demonstration flight, April 13, 2021

According to the previously formed and now approved requirements, Sikorsky / Lockheed Martin has developed and submitted to the competition a promising Raider X project. Its competitor is the Bell 360 Invictus helicopter. The FARA program management speaks well of the proposed projects. The developers of the new technology did more than was expected of them, and the resulting projects made the best impression.

Last fall, it was reported that FARA member companies have already begun construction of new prototypes that fully correspond to the developed projects. Prototypes should be ready by the end of FY2022, after which they will begin flight tests. Then the technique of several types will be compared and a more successful model will be selected for further introduction into service.

Demonstration in the troops


Sikorsky participates in the FARA project with the Raider X helicopter project. It is based on technologies previously developed and tested on several experimental machines. An experienced S-97 Raider helicopter is currently being used to test such solutions.


The other day S-97 arrived at the Redstone Arsenal base (Alabama) for demonstration flights. It is reported that the organization of such an event was associated with some difficulties. "Raider" is an initiative development of "Sikorsky" and is only indirectly related to FARA. This, to some extent, made it difficult to organize the show at the army base.

On April 13 and 15, pilots from the development company performed a series of flights. During the event, the S-97 demonstrated its speed and maneuverability characteristics, as well as the ability to solve all major combat and transport missions.

The flights were observed by representatives of the Future Vertical Lift Cross Functional Team (FVL CFT), as well as officers from the Army Aviation and Missile Command Aviation & Missile Command (AMCOM). FVL CLT is responsible for the FVL program and its component FARA, and the AMCOM command in the future will become the main operator of promising technology. Thus, no casual spectators were present on the flights.


Advertising image of the Bell 360 Invictus helicopter

It is not known how the representatives of the army reacted to the demonstration flights. At the same time, Sikorsky / Lockheed Martin highly appreciates both the S-97 project itself and the demonstration of the helicopter to a potential customer of the future Raider X. The developers expect that recent flights were the first, but not the last - and the promising Sikorsky helicopters are not yet times will be demonstrated and tested by the Redstone Arsenal.

Not only flights


Recent activities have not been limited to flights alone. The personnel of the Arsenal and representatives of responsible organizations were introduced to the new helicopter, although they were not yet allowed to fly. Also, a meeting was held on the topic of real possibilities and prospects for the operation of new equipment in the troops.

The development company highlighted the high potential of the S-97 helicopter and the promising Raider X project in terms of operation and maintenance. The new helicopters are equipped with a self-diagnostic system that provides the crew with information about the condition of the materiel and various recommendations.


The Sikorsky Fleet Decision Tool system has also been developed, capable of collecting and processing data from several helicopters. With its help, it is planned to facilitate the organization of the work of entire divisions. In particular, the unit commander will be able to assess the condition of the existing helicopters and, on its basis, determine the sequence of their use in the mission. This will optimize resource consumption and simplify the organization of repairs without compromising the combat readiness of the unit as a whole.

Potential Winners


The new stage of the FARA program involves two projects from Bell and Sikorsky / Lockheed Martin. These projects have the same requirements, but the desired level of performance is achieved in different ways. For example, Bell offers a traditional rotor and tail rotor helicopter that uses all of its experience in aircraft construction. Meanwhile, Sikorsky continues to develop its X2 concept. It provides for the use of a carrier system of two coaxial propellers, as well as a pushing tail rotor.

As follows from the available materials, both projects have advantages over each other, which makes it difficult to predict the results of the competition. The strength of the Raider X project is the fundamental possibility of obtaining a high flight speed. Using a given engine, a helicopter with a maximum mass of 6,4 tons will be able to reach speeds of up to 450-460 km / h. At the same time, the potential of the proposed design was confirmed in practice with the help of experienced helicopters, one of which was recently shown to representatives of the army.


Bell uses a traditional structure for the 360 ​​project. It has already been tested at speeds up to 370 km / h, which is 40 km / h higher than the customer's maximum speed requirements. Measures are being taken to improve other working and combat characteristics, to simplify operation, etc.

From prototype to contract


Since the fall of last year, two companies involved in the FARA program have been building experimental equipment of their own design. The conditions of the program allow them to take their time, but in the foreseeable future, helicopters of the two new types will go out for tests and "fight" with each other. What project the army will choose is unknown. So far, those in charge have spoken positively about both helicopters from Sikorsky and Bell.

The project participants, in turn, are carrying out already begun work, as well as conducting advertising campaigns, companies to promote their products, trying to interest the army and potential other customers. As always, various project materials are published. In addition, there are alternative ways of promotion, such as the recent demonstration of equipment to the military.

Tests of two helicopters will begin only next year, and the winner of the competition will be announced even later. Whether the current measures will be able to influence the decision of the responsible persons is unknown. But future contracts for FVL and FARA are too profitable to refuse any additional advertising or the opportunity to show their developments to the customer.
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22 comments
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  1. -13
    April 19 2021 04: 51
    Well, the Americans have finally mastered coaxial rotors! We are waiting for statements about America's advanced positions in this matter. laughing
    1. -12
      April 19 2021 05: 04
      There is also tandem crew accommodation, as is used on our turntables. We took all the best that we could find in the world.
      1. +8
        April 19 2021 05: 32
        Quote: Thrifty
        There is also tandem crew accommodation, as is used on our turntables.
        Well, let's put it ours at the "Hugh Cobras" looked after.
        1. -2
          April 19 2021 10: 03
          and the cobra was stolen from
    2. 0
      April 19 2021 14: 21
      Please get it! The American robot helicopter has just made a successful maiden flight, hovering and landing on Mars!
    3. -2
      13 June 2021 10: 58
      Not mastered. Kamovites shared technology
  2. 0
    April 19 2021 06: 15
    From decade to decade, there is a confrontation between NV as the only propulsion device for the helicopter and additional push / pull propellers. and still the point has not been put, and the debate for opponents is only hotter and hotter. technical risks or customary solutions at a new technological level? a developer must have simply divine insight to feel what the customer needs, but also not to forget that helicopters in terms of aerodynamic schemes are one of the most conservative flying apparatuses. Since 1972, the Sikorsky company launched the first LL on this topic, and the first prototype appeared only at the end of the second decade of the 21st century. during this time, front-line combat aircraft managed to master variable sweep wings and fuselages with an integrated aerodynamic circuit in a series.
  3. KCA
    -4
    April 19 2021 08: 53
    With an increase in flight speed, fuel consumption increases sharply, and then there are three more propellers, what is the flight range of this turntable?
    1. +6
      April 19 2021 09: 32
      The flight range is the same or higher. The fuel consumption per hour is certainly higher (in the maximum speed mode, in a normal flight it is the same as in the Kamovs), but the time to overcome this distance is almost 2 times less.
      They now have 3 types of replacement helicopters, shock, reconnaissance and attack, transport. It is logical to take the beds as a platform for them. Sikorsky's X2 platforms are perfect for this.
  4. +1
    April 21 2021 14: 19
    The Americans are pushing all the main directions of convertiplanes:
    1. Fully rotary TVD with gearbox and vmntom and wing
    2. Wing in place Fully rotary turbine engine with gearbox and vmnt
    2.Non-rotary TVD and rotary reducer with screw
    3. One main rotor and one pushing
    4. Coaxial with pushing screw
    5. On a safety net, the traditional helicopter scheme (wheeled to the limit), which will then turn into civilian helicopters.


    It's good when you can afford to dig deeper into all the schemes and then make the right choice. Cheyenne's scheme was not reproduced ...

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