LOCKHEED MARTIN: SIKORSKY UNVEILS NEXT-GENERATION HELICOPTER PROTOTYPE

Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, introduces RAIDER X^®, its concept for a fast, agile, survivable compound coaxial helicopter that will equip future aviators to address evolving peer and near-peer threats in the most difficult environments.

RAIDER X is specifically designed as a prototype for the U.S. Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) prototype competition, part of the service’s effort to revolutionize its enduring aircraft fleet as part of what is known as Future Vertical Lift.

With an increasingly complex future threat environment and swift pace of technological change, enabling rapid upgrades and putting real-time decision-making closer to the fight is critical for mission success. RAIDER X is purpose-built with the Army’s Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) to provide leap-ahead capability and enable rapid upgrades. Its adaptability is the starting point for decades of innovation.

Transforming Operations in the Lower-Tier Air Domain
X2™ technology, the foundation of Sikorsky’s co-axial rotorcraft design, enables RAIDER X to fly faster and farther than single main rotor helicopters while carrying a significant payload. The speed, range and integrated mission systems of RAIDER X make it an especially effective and improved strategic asset in the vast expanses of the Indo-Pacific region.

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

With its low- and high-speed manoeuvrability, RAIDER X excels in the lower-tier air domain (LTAD) – the space between the ground and 100 feet. RAIDER X is a networked sensor package supporting the joint domain. It significantly extends the battle area’s boundaries by scouting, coordinating and providing feedback through the management and sustainment of Launched Effects (LE) networks at the tactical edge, providing greater flexibility for the joint force commander.




No Substitute for a Pilot’s Instincts in the Lower Tier Air Domain
Some people wonder why we need a piloted helicopter in this day and age – why not rely on drones?

While there is certainly a place for autonomous vehicles on the future battlefield, maximizing advances in artificial intelligence and contributing to situational awareness of commanders, in the LTAD there’s no substitute for the instincts of a pilot in the cockpit. FARA is dealing with highly complex mission environments and flying below the tree line. In these high-stakes situations, humans are better suited to make connections and know what to do in real time. The crew provides the situational awareness, dominance and ownership critical for ground-force decision-making.

RAIDER X maximizes pilots’ effectiveness through fly-by-wire and autonomous systems, helping them focus on the mission. A natural cockpit interface, that Macklin describes as an “intelligent co-pilot,” lets FARA pilots control a fleet of LE, filling gaps in mesh network coverage while also providing unparalleled agility and manoeuvrability. This enables FARA to use terrain to mask its position and evade threats.