The Boeing-Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche was a stealth reconnaissance and attack helicopter being designed for the US Army originally to replace the AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters and OH-58 Kiowa scout helicopters. Sadly the RAH-66 would be cancelled by the US Army in 2004 before mass production was set to begin.
History
In 1982 the US Army started the Light Helicopter Experimental program to find a replacement for a variety of helicopters that were in use at the time including the UH-1, AH-1, OH-6 and OH-58 helicopters. In 1988 the US Army issued a request for proposal to various manufacturers when later on the Army would announce that the teams of Boeing-Sikorsky and Bell-McDonnell Douglas would be given contracts to develop their concepts. In April 1991 the Army would award Boeing-Sikorsky with a $2.8 billion contract to build 6 prototypes, later that same month the helicopter was given an official name, the RAH-66 Comanche.
Assembly of the first prototype would be commenced during November 1993 at both Sikorsky’s facility in Stratford, Connecticut and at Boeing’s facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The first RAH-66 would be finished and rolled out of Sikorsky’s facility where it would be transferred to West Palm Beach, Florida to conduct flight testing. The first test flight would take place on 4th of January 1996 being flown by test pilots Bob Gradle and Rus Stiles. It would fly for 39 minutes in what was it’s maiden flight. The second prototype would conduct it’s first flight on 30th of March 1999 where it would then join the flight test program alongside the first prototype shortly after.
The first prototype would complete 318 flights over 387 hours before it would reach the end of it’s testing career during January 2002. The second prototype would fly until 2003 testing out extensive modifications including upgraded engines and various upgraded mission equipment.
However sadly on 23rd of February 2004 the US Army announced the cancellation of all work on the Comanche program stating that many further upgrades would be needed for the RAH-66 to be capable of surviving on the battlefield. However the Army had decided to re-direct the funds from the Comanche program to other programs for the renovation of existing helicopters and to the development of unmanned aerial vehicles.
Specifications
Weight
- Empty weight: 9,300 lb (4,218 kg)
- Gross weight: 12,349 lb (5,601 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 17,408 lb (7,896 kg) maximum fuel for self-deployment
Size
- Length: 46 ft 10.25 in (14.2812 m)
- Width: 6 ft 8.25 in (2.0384 m) maximum fuselage width
- Height: 11 ft 0.75 in (3.3719 m)
Engine
- 2 × LHTEC T800-LHT-801 turboshaft engines, 1,563 shp (1,166 kW) each
Performance
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Maximum speed: 175 kn (201 mph, 324 km/h) without mast radar
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- 166 kn (191 mph; 307 km/h) with mast radar
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Cruise speed: 165 kn (190 mph, 306 km/h) without mast radar
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- 149 kn (171 mph; 276 km/h) with mast radar
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Range: 262 nmi (302 mi, 485 km)
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Combat range: 150 nmi (170 mi, 280 km) internal fuel
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Ferry range: 1,200 nmi (1,400 mi, 2,200 km)
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Endurance: 2 hours 30 minutes on internal fuel
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Service ceiling: 14,980 ft (4,570 m)
Armament
Gun
- 1 x 20mm XM301 three-barrel cannon mounted in a chin turret.
Internal Bay
- 6 x AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-ground missiles
- 6 x AIM-92 Stinger air-to-air missiles
- 24 x Hydra 70 2.75" rockets
(Also from one source Starstreak and Mistral AAM’s, TOW II, HOT II AGM’s, and Sura D 81mm and Snora 81mm rockets could also be mounted and fired from the internal bay. I have separated these since I could not find these in other sources so take this with a grain of salt)
External Mounted on Stub Wings
- 8 x AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-ground missiles
- 16 x AIM-92 Stinger air-to-air missiles
- 56 x Hydra 70 2.75" rockets
Avionics/Mission Equipment
- Miniaturised AN/APG-78 Longbow Radar
- Night Vision Pilotage System (NVPS)
- Target Acquisition and Designation System (TADS)
- Kaiser Helmet Integrated Display and Sighting System (HIDSS) for both crew members
- AN/AVR-2A(V) Advanced Laser Warning Receiver
- AN/ALQ-211 SIRCM (Suite of Integrated Radio Frequency Countermeasures)
- Nose-Mounted Sight with Infrared and TV Camera
- Nose-Mounted Second generation Infrared Pilotage Sensor
- IR Suppressor System
- Radar Absorbent Materials
Pictures
The two prototypes in flight
Hellfire missiles loaded into the internal bay
Size diagram of the RAH-66.
Cockpit of the RAH-66
Armament loading options for the RAH-66.
Layout of cockpit
Control stick layout, HIDSS description and MFD displays
RAH-66 flying alongside AH-64
Comanche in flight
Kaiser HMD symbology used in the RAH-66
- Yes
- No
- Tech Tree vehicle
- Event Vehicle
- Squadron Vehicle
- Premium Vehicle
- I said no
- 8.0
- 8.3
- 8.7
- 9.0
- 9.3
- 9.7
- 10.0
- 10.3
- 10.7
- 11.0+ (Reply with the exact BR)
- I said no
Sources
Sikorsky Archives - Boeing Sikorsky RAH-66
The National Interest - RAH-66 Comanche: The Army’s $7 Billion Stealth Helicopter That Failed
Military Factory - Boeing/Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche
Wikipedia - Boeing-Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche
Aviators Database - RAH-66 Comanche
AGARD ADVISORY REPORT 349 - Flight Vehicle Integration Panel Working Group 21 on Glass Cockpit Operational Effectiveness PDF Pages 168 - 172
Army Technology - RAH-66 Comanche – Reconnaissance/Attack Helicopter
NASA - Design and pilot evaluation of the RAH-66 Comanche selectable control modes