Raider X to fly 2024, it’s 98% complete, the engine being installed

By Boyko Nikolov On Oct 25, 2023

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Lockheed Martin’s subsidiary, Sikorsky, is set to commence the installation of the U.S. Army’s newly upgraded Improved Turbine Engine [ITEP] to its cutting-edge Raider X aircraft, crafted for the Future Attack Reconnaissance [FARA] program. 

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After receipt of the engine at Sikorsky’s West Palm Beach facility, a thorough examination was conducted jointly by the Sikorsky engineers and the U.S. Army. Following this, it was transported to the engine integration test lab adjacent to the Raider X assembly area on the 20th of October. 

“The Sikorsky team’s confidence is bolstered for the last phase of the Raider X build”. This was said by the Vice President of Future Vertical Lift, Andy Adams. This has been achieved thanks to Lockheed Martin’s model-based systems engineering methodology. This approach is poised to hasten the timeline of weapon system completion, catering to the urgency of reconnaissance missions. 

Photo credit: Lockheed Martin

Beyond capable

The Raider X has capabilities beyond just combat. It can collect intelligence and operates quickly and skillfully. This enhances the Army’s ability to sense threats from a distance. At the same time the Army strengthening the network connectivity among soldiers and joint forces. All these ensuring continuous access to crucial mission information.

The Raider X is nearing completion, currently at 98%. Once Sikorsky finishes installing additional instruments, the immediate focus will shift to engine installation. This will be followed by comprehensive system tests and evaluations. 

Upon test success, the procedures of engine activation and a drive system check with the installed ITEP in the aircraft will occur. All system checks are satisfactory, the subsequent steps involve flight acceptance testing and the actual first flight.

First, fly in 2024 

The inaugural flight of Raider X is projected for late 2024, upon receipt of the Army’s flight approval for the engine and the aircraft. Beyond the Raider X, the Army also plans to incorporate the ITEP engine into the UH-60 Black Hawk fleet. 

Andy Adams explains the indispensability of the ITEP engine for the modus operandi of the Black Hawk, with its augmented fuel efficiency and power surge by 50% from the existing version. It bolsters lift capability and extends the aircraft’s flight range. He emphasized that even with the incorporation of Future Vertical Lift aircraft by the U.S. Army, the Black Hawk will maintain its pivotal role as the tactical air assault and utility aircraft.

Raider X development

At the Association of the United States Army’s annual meeting held on October 14, 2019, Sikorsky unveiled the Raider X concept. This concept was a derivative of the previous Sikorsky S-97 Raider, which was conceived for the Army’s Armed Aerial Scout program. The S-97, in turn, was an evolution of the Sikorsky X2 prototype compound coaxial helicopter. 

The more substantial Sikorsky–Boeing SB-1 Defiant also emerged from the X2 as part of the Army’s Future Vertical Lift initiative. This was to develop a joint multi-role rotorcraft with the SB-1 being a possible choice for the Future Long Range Assault Aircraft project. 

Sikorsky’s compound helicopter designs uniformly employ coaxial rigid rotors coupled with a pusher propeller, a setup commonly known as “X2 Technology”. 

On March 25, 2020, the Army moved forward with the Raider X and Bell 360 Invictus concept designs. This plan involves the creation and testing of flying prototypes in 2022, culminating in a competitive flight demonstration by the fall of 2023. Notably, Sikorsky had already started construction of the Raider X prototype by February 2020.

Raider X design

The Raider X, a product of the FARA program’s requirements, is engineered to operate on the singular power of a General Electric T901 engine. The GE T901 engine, a result of the Army’s Improved Turbine Engine Program, was designed as the go-to engine for current and forthcoming Army rotorcraft. 

Drawing from the performance of S-97 and X2, it is anticipated that Raider X will achieve a peak speed extending beyond 250 kn [460 km/h; 290 mph]. Raider X shoult reach a service ceiling that surpasses 9,000 feet [2,700 m]. Reflecting the S-97 as an 80% scale model, the Raider X is projected to weigh in at 14,000 lb [6,400 kg]. The responsibility of designing and crafting the fuselage sits with Swift Engineering. 

The cockpit is designed with side-by-side seating, a departure from the usual tandem seating found in American attack helicopters. Furthermore, weapons and sensors are housed internally through a modular system. This layout is in line with FARA’s stipulations, thereby accommodating future technological advancements and offsetting obsolescence.

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