RAH-66 Comanche

Infobox Aircraft
name= RAH-66 Comanche


caption= Test flight of the first RAH-66 prototype
type=Reconnaissance/Attack helicopter
manufacturer=Boeing Helicopters/Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
designer=
first flight= 4 January 1996
introduced=
retired=
status=Canceled
primary user=United States Army
more users=
produced=
number built=2
unit cost=US$13 million (approx) in 1995 [ [http://www.aeronautics.ru/nws002/military_aircraft_prices.htm Military aircraft prices] ]
variants with their own articles=

The Boeing/Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche was an advanced U.S. Army military helicopter intended for the armed reconnaissance role, incorporating stealth techniques. Also, it was to designate targets for the AH-64 Apache.Crawford, Steve. "Twenty-First Century Military Helicopters", p. 88. MBI Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0-7603-1504-3.] The RAH-66 program was canceled in 2004 before it was fielded.

Design and development

In 1982 the U.S. Army started the Light Helicopter Experimental (LHX) program to replace UH-1, AH-1, OH-6, and OH-58 helicopters. This requirement was changed to a reconnaissance helicopter by 1988.Frawley, Gerard. "The International Directory of Military Aircraft", page 50. Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd, 2002. ISBN 1-875671-55-2.]

The U.S. Army currently has an armed scout helicopter in its fleet — the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior — but that aircraft is an upgraded version of a Vietnam-era observation helicopter.

In contrast, the Comanche was specifically tailored to the role of armed scout. It is smaller and lighter than the AH-64 Apache gunship — 43 feet (13.1 m) long and 7,700 pounds (3,500 kg) vs. 58 ft (17.7 m) and 11,400 pounds (5,200 kg) – and its composite material airframe incorporated stealth features to avoid detection, such as retractable weapon stations and main gun, and stealth faceting and radar absorbent materials. The Comanche's noise signature is noticeably smaller than others in its class.

The Comanche's very sophisticated detection and navigation systems were intended to allow it to operate at night and in bad weather. Its airframe was designed to fit more easily than the Apache into transport aircraft or onto transport ships, enabling it to be deployed to hot spots quickly. If transport assets were not available, the Comanche's ferry range of 1,260 nautical miles (2,330 km, 1,553 statute miles) would even allow it to fly to battlefields overseas on its own.

The U.S. Army planned to purchase almost 1,300 Comanches to fill the scout and light attack roles, with the first craft to be brought into service in 2004. Flight qualification tests and evaluations were conducted for the two DEM/VAL (Demonstration and Validation Phase) prototypes. The first of those prototypes was rolled out of the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation's helicopter production facility in May 1995 and had its first flight on January 4, 1996. [ [http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/1996/news.release.960104-b.html "Comanche Helicopter Makes First Flight"] , Boeing, January 4, 1996.] Flight testing was conducted through 2003 on the two prototypes. Prototype 2 (tail number 95-0001, was still in flight status at the time of program cancellation in February 2004) [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/rah-66-history.htm RAH-66 Comanche history] , GlobalSecurity.org.]

Upon successful completion of the DEM/VAL phase, the program entered the Engineering Manufacturing and Development (EMD) phase. During EMD eight additional aircraft were under construction, with a first flight planned for June 2006.

Cancellation

On February 23, 2004, the U.S. Army announced their decision to cancel the Comanche helicopter program in view of the need to provide funds to renovate the existing helicopter fleet of aging attack, utility, and reconnaissance aircraft. [Burlas, Joe. [http://www.dix.army.mil/PAO/Post04/post022704/ComancheProjectGrounded.htm "Comanche project grounded"] , Army News, February 23, 2004.] Also a factor was the growing popularity in the military of using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for reconnaissance purposes – in addition to tests, UAVs had proven their worth in Afghanistan and Iraq. About US$6.9 billion had already been invested in the Comanche program at the time of its termination. [ [http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/02/23/helicopter.cancel/ "Army cancels Comanche helicopter"] , CNN, February 23, 2004.] An additional US$450-680 million was required in contract termination fees to main program partners Sikorsky and Boeing Integrated Defense Systems.Fact|date=July 2008

Technology developed for the Comanche will be integrated into the Apache and other U.S. military helicopter developments. The Army is developing the Bell ARH-70 to replace the OH-58D in place of the RAH-66.

Currently the prototype airframe 95-0001 "The DUKE" is located at the United States Army Aviation Museum in Fort Rucker, Alabama and 94-0327 will be arriving at the museum in 2008.

pecifications (RAH-66A)

aircraft specifications
plane or copter?=copter
jet or prop?=prop
ref=Comanche RAH-66, [ [http://stinet.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA354159&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf Comanche RAH-66 - 21th Century Multi-Mission Helicopter] , Boeing Sikorsky, 1996.] International Directory of Military Aircraft,
crew=2
length main=46.85 ft
length alt=14.28 m
span main=39.04 ft
span alt=11.90 m
height main=11.06 ft
height alt=3.37 m
area main= 1,197 sq ft
area alt=111 m²
empty weight main=8,690 lb
empty weight alt=3,942 kg
loaded weight main=10,597 lb
loaded weight alt=4,806 kg
useful load main=
useful load alt=
max takeoff weight main=17,175 lb
max takeoff weight alt=7,790 kg
more general=Fuselage length: 43.31 ft (13.20 m)
*Rotor systems: 5 blades on main rotor
engine (prop)=LHTEC T800
type of prop=turboshafts
number of props=2
power main=1,432 hp
power alt=1,068 kW
max speed main= 175 knots
max speed alt= 201 mph, 324 km/h
cruise speed main= 165 knots
cruise speed alt= 190 mph, 306 km/h
never exceed speed main=
never exceed speed alt=
stall speed main=
stall speed alt=
range main= 262 nmi
range alt= 302 mi, 485 km
range more= (internal fuel)
combat radius main=
combat radius alt=
combat radius more=
ferry range main=
ferry range alt=
ferry range more=
ceiling main= 14,980 ft
ceiling alt= 4,566 m
climb rate main= 1,418 ft/min
climb rate alt= 7.20 m/s
loading main=
loading alt=
thrust/weight=
power/mass main=
power/mass alt=
armament=
*1× 20 mm XM301 three-barrel cannon mounted in a Turreted Gun System (500 round capacity)
*Internal bays: 6 Hellfires or 6 Stingers (ATAS) or 24 Hydra 70 2.75 in (70 mm) air-to-ground rockets
*Optional stub wings: 8 Hellfire, 16 Stinger or 56 x Hydra 70 2.75 in (70 mm) air-to-ground rockets
guns=
bombs=
rockets=
missiles=
hardpoints=
hardpoint capacity=
avionics=

References

ee also

aircontent
related=
similar aircraft=
* Bell ARH-70
* Kawasaki OH-1
* Tiger ARH
lists=
see also=
*U.S. Helicopter Armament Subsystems
*U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command

External links

* [http://www.boeing.com/history/boeing/comanche.html Boeing RAH Commache history page]
* [http://tri.army.mil/LC/CS/csa/cpcomanc.htm RAH-66 Comanche page on Army.mil]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/rah-66.htm RAH-66 Comanche page on Globalsecurity.org]
* [http://www.army-technology.com/projects/comanche/ RAH-66 Comanche page on Army-Technology.com]
* [http://www.globalaircraft.org/planes/rah-66_comanche.pl RAH-66 page on GlobalAircraft.org]
* [http://digital.library.unt.edu/govdocs/crs/permalink/meta-crs-2525:1 CRS Report: RAH-66 Comanche] , November 14, 2002.