The Boeing–Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche is an advanced five-blade armed reconnaissance and
attack helicopter designed for the United States Army.
Program cancellation On 23 February 2004, the U.S. Army announced
that they had decided to terminate all work on the Comanche program.
At the time, it was stated that the Army had determined - a number of upgrades would be
necessary for the RAH-66 to be capable of surviving on the battlefield in the face of
current anti-aircraft threats; however, the Army had instead decided to re-direct the
bulk of its funding for rotary development toward the renovation of its existing helicopter
fleet of attack, utility, and reconnaissance aircraft.
Specifically, the Army also had plans to reuse the funds allocated to the Comanche program
to speed up development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which could also perform
the scouting role intended for the vehicle.
Interesting to know The Boeing–Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche would
have functioned as a stealth helicopter, incorporating a number of different techniques and technologies
in order to reduce its radar cross-section (RCS) along with other areas of visibility
and detectability.
It was specifically tailored to the role of armed scout to replace the U.S. Army's OH-58D
Kiowa Warrior, which is an upgraded version of a Vietnam War-era observation helicopter.
The RAH-66 was powered by a pair of LHTEC T800 turboshaft engines, each capable of generating
up to 1,563 hp of power.
The RAH-66's fuselage was 43 feet long and composed of composite materials; it was designed
to be capable of fitting more readily onto transport ships, enabling the Comanche to
be more rapidly deployed to flash points and other rapidly-developing situations.
However, in the event of strategic transport assets not being available, the rotorcraft's
ferry range of 1,200 nmi would have allowed it to fly itself to battlefields overseas
on its own.
The Comanche was to be equipped with sophisticated avionics, including navigation and detection
systems, which would have enabled operations during nighttime and within challenging weather
conditions.
Its primary mission was to scout around using its advanced sensors, attempting to find and
designate targets for attack helicopters, such as the AH-64 Apache, to strike.
The Comanche was furnished with a digital fly-by-wire flight control system.
Each of the two crew members were to be provided with a pair of LCD multi-functional displays
which would have functioned in addition to the Helmet-Integrated Display and Sight System
(HIDSS) worn by the crew.
General characteristics Crew: two
Length: 14.28 m Rotor diameter: 11.90 m
Height: 3.37 m Rotor systems: 5-bladed main rotor, 8-bladed
fan-in-fin anti-torque system Powerplant: 2 × LHTEC T800-LHT-801 turboshaft,
1,165 kW each
Performance
Maximum speed: 324 km/h Cruise speed: 306 km/h
Range: 485 km on internal fuel Combat radius: 278 km on internal fuel
Ferry range: 2,220 km Endurance: 2.5 hr
Service ceiling: 4,566 m Rate of climb: 4.55 m/s
Armament 1 × 20 mm XM301 three-barrel Gatling-style
cannon mounted in a Turreted Gun System with the capacity of 500 rounds
Internal bays: 6× AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-ground missiles, or 12× AIM-92 Stinger air-to-air
missiles, or 24× 2.75 in Hydra 70 air-to-ground rockets
Optional stub wings: 8× Hellfires, 16× Stingers, or 56× Hydra 70 rockets