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RAH-66 Comanche

Test flight of the first RAH-66 prototype

TypeReconnaissance/Attack helicopter
ManufacturerBoeing Helicopters/Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
Maiden flight4 January 1996
StatusCanceled
Primary userUnited States Army
Number built2

The Boeing/Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche was an advanced U.S. Army military helicopter intended for the armed reconnaissance role, incorporating stealth techniques. An attack helicopter, also known as a Helicopter Gunship, is a Military helicopter armed for attacking targets on the ground An aerospace manufacturer is a company or individual involved in the various aspects of designing building testing selling and maintaining Aircraft, Aircraft parts Boeing Helicopters (now Boeing Rotorcraft Systems) is a US aircraft manufacturer part of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation is an American Aircraft manufacturer The maiden flight of an Aircraft is the first occasion on which an aircraft leaves the ground of its own accord Events 46 BC - Titus Labienus defeats Julius Caesar in the Battle of Ruspina. Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. Boeing Helicopters (now Boeing Rotorcraft Systems) is a US aircraft manufacturer part of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation is an American Aircraft manufacturer The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. History Since 400 AD Chinese children have played with bamboo flying toys. Reconnaissance (also scouting) is a military and medical term denoting exploration conducted to gain information Stealth technology also known as LOT (Low Observability Technology is a sub-discipline of military Electronic countermeasures which covers a range of techniques used with Also, it was to designate targets for the AH-64 Apache. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout [1] The RAH-66 program was canceled in 2004 before it was fielded.

Contents

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. [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. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia

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. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout 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. Composite materials (or composites for short are engineered Materials made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical Radar absorbent material, or RAM, is a class of materials used in Stealth technology to disguise a vehicle or structure from radar detection 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. A nautical mile or sea mile is a unit of Length. It corresponds approximately to one minute of Latitude along any meridian.

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. This is a list of Aviation -related events from 2004: Events January 2 - Several British Airways flights from 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. Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation is an American Aircraft manufacturer Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 Events 46 BC - Titus Labienus defeats Julius Caesar in the Battle of Ruspina. Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) [3] 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)[4]

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. Events 1455 - Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western Book printed from Movable "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " 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. [5] 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. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV is an unpiloted Aircraft. UAVs can be remote controlled or fly autonomously based on pre-programmed flight plans or more complex dynamic The War in Afghanistan, which began on October 7 2001 as the U The 2003 invasion of Iraq, from March 20 to May 1 2003 was spearheaded by the United States, backed by British forces and smaller contingents from Australia About US$8 billion had already been invested in the Comanche program at the time of its termination and an additional US$450-680 million was required in contract termination fees to main program partners Sikorsky and Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation is an American Aircraft manufacturer Boeing Integrated Defense Systems ( Boeing IDS) based in St Louis, Missouri, USA, is a unit of The Boeing Company responsible for

Technology developed for the Comanche will be integrated into the Apache and other U. S. military helicopter developments. Some of its roles will be taken over by the Bell ARH-70, an off-the shelf armed reconnaissance helicopter. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

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. Fort Rucker is a US Army post located mostly in Dale County, Alabama, United States.

Specifications (RAH-66A)

Data from Comanche RAH-66,[6] International Directory of Military Aircraft,[2]

General characteristics

Performance

Armament


References

  1. ^ Crawford, Steve. Twenty-First Century Military Helicopters, p. 88. MBI Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0-7603-1504-3.
  2. ^ a b Frawley, Gerard. The International Directory of Military Aircraft, page 50. Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd, 2002. ISBN 1-875671-55-2.
  3. ^ "Comanche Helicopter Makes First Flight", Boeing, January 4, 1996. Events 46 BC - Titus Labienus defeats Julius Caesar in the Battle of Ruspina. Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar)
  4. ^ RAH-66 Comanche history, GlobalSecurity. org.
  5. ^ Burlas, Joe. "Comanche project grounded", Army News, February 23, 2004. Events 1455 - Traditional date for the publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first Western Book printed from Movable "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again "
  6. ^ Comanche RAH-66 - 21th Century Multi-Mission Helicopter, Boeing Sikorsky, 1996.

See also

Comparable aircraft

External links

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