S-97 Raider Helicopter Unveiled

Sikorsky unveiled its first S-97 Raider prototype Thursday, kicking off the test flight phase of the experimental helicopter program.
The Raider is Sikorsky’s planned entry to replace the US Army’s OH-58D Kiowa Warrior fleet.
The Raider prototype is based on the X-2 technology that Sikorsky developed in the late 2000s, with some key differences. Where the X-2 demonstrator was a one-person, 5,000-pound platform, the Raider is roughly 11,000 pounds with room for six troops for combat assault missions; if those troops aren’t needed, that space can be used to hold extra equipment or ammunition.
Sikorsky has expressed confidence it will go hand in hand with unmatched speed. The company has claimed speeds of 220 knots (253 mph), which would be significantly faster than conventional military rotorcraft.
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