SIKORSKY

The Sikorsky RAIDER X

Nearly a decade ago, the US Army retired its last helicopter designed specifically for the strike reconnaissance mission – the OH-58 Kiowa Warrior. Sikorsky has now introduced the RAIDER

As the video in this post highlights, the RAIDER as part of what is known as the Future Vertical Lift (FVL).

Since retiring the OH-58 Kiowa Warrior fleet, a combination of AH-64 Apache helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been used as replacements, carrying out the strike reconnaissance mission as best as possible.

But similar threats require next-generation aircraft specially designed to stay ahead of the fight through continuous evolution. Unlike the Kiowa Warrior, FARA, the Army Aviation's top modernization priority, is a Division, Corps, and Joint Forces-level strategic asset that operates deep in the battlespace. And it is the only reconnaissance platform that offers deep range, providing a level of survivability never before achieved in Army Aviation.

Sikorsky, one of two companies vying for FARA (the other is Bell with the Bell 360 Invictus), is offering the RAIDER X. Flying low and fast to stay hidden below the tree line, the RAIDER X will provide crucial intelligence and will keep forces connected through a secure communications network. Built to find, repair and terminate anti-access/anti-denial (A2AD) and enemy forces, RAIDER X operates in contested environments at the front of the fight. It's a sophisticated sensor, a central network hub, and a powerful armed reconnaissance helicopter all in one.

“RAIDER “It provides significant range, survivability and lethality – far more than exists in today’s enduring fleet. RAIDER

With an increasingly complex future threat environment and a rapid pace of technological change, enabling rapid updates and bringing real-time decision-making closer to the warfight is critical to mission success. RAIDER X was specifically developed with the Army's Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) to provide advanced capability and enable rapid upgrades. Its adaptability is the starting point for decades of innovation.

This fusion of superior physical performance with transformational digital capabilities is exactly what Lockheed Martin's 21st Century Security strategy seeks to achieve – helping warfighters meet the challenges of future multi-domain missions.

X2 technology, the foundation of Sikorsky's coaxial helicopter design, allows the RAIDER X to fly faster and farther than single main rotor helicopters while carrying a significant payload. RAIDER X's speed, range, and integrated mission systems make it an especially effective and enhanced strategic asset across the vast expanses of the Indo-Pacific region.

X2 designs also allow for inherent weapon system growth compared to the limitations of single main rotor aircraft. All of these attributes allow the RAIDER X to operate at greater ranges with superior speed to target and a high degree of situational awareness.

With its low- and high-speed maneuverability, RAIDER X excels in the lower-level air domain (LTAD) – the space between the ground and 30 meters. RAIDER X is a networked sensor package that supports the joint domain, providing greater flexibility to the joint force commander.

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