The Boeing-Sikorsky RAh-66 Comanche Stealth Helicopter

BOEING-SIKORSKY RAH-66 COMANCHE STEALTH HELICOPTER The Boeing Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche is the world's most advanced helicopter and the cornerstone of the U.S. Army's Force XXI aviation modernization plan. The Comanche makes use of the latest advancements in aerospace technology, including stealth which has until now been confined to airplanes. Abilities The sophisticated design of the Comanche helicopter allows it to dash to a speed of 175 knots, then cruise at a steady 165. The futuristic propulsion and navigation design also allows the helicopter to execute snap turns in 4.5 seconds and fly sideways or backwards at an incredible 70 mph! With a tremendous power output of 1,432 horsepower from each of it's turboshafts, the Comanche climbs at a rate of 1,418 feet per minute. Firepower The Comanche can go to war with up to 14 "Fire and Forget" Hellfire anti-tank missiles, which, once fired, are programmed to control their own flight to their targets. The helicopter can also deploy up to 56 rockets (70mm), or 28 Stinger air-to-air missiles, to attack fixed and rotary-wing targets. Alternatively, it can carry two 430-gallon ferry tanks to self-deploy over 1,260 nm, or crashworthy 230-gallon tanks for more than four hours of combat endurance. Adding to its already immense firepower, the Comanche also stows a three-barreled, 20 mm turreted nose mini-gun that can shoot 1500 rounds per minute. To maintain its low "stealth" profile, the Comanche features a fully retractable missile armament system, enabling it to hide missiles and rockets in I-RAMS (Integrated Retractable Munitions Systems) bays.   Inside Comanche Designed using computer databases, Comanche redefines the helicopter in terms of power, maneuverability, technological sophistication, and materials engineering. Twin LHTEC-800-LHT-801 turboshaft engines drive an advanced five-blade, bearingless main rotor which further enhances high performance and agility in air-to-air combat. Its FANTAIL anti-torque tail rotor system lets Comanche execute amazing maneuvers near impossible for other helicopters. Comanche also features reconfigurable, fault-tolerant digital missions electronics and on-board diagnostics, Longbow fire-control radar, triple-redundant fly-by-wire flight control and simple, remove-and-replace maintenance. A wide-field-of-view, helmet-mounted display provides flight information, night vision sensors and a sight system for use with weapons. The Helmet Integrated Display and Sight System (HIDSS) is a biocular helmet-mounted display for flight information and night vision sensors and a sight system for use with weapons. Each crewmember has a helmet providing acoustic and impact protection and a magnetic helmet tracker on a removable frame. The HIDSS can combine flight symbology with sensor images to allow aggressive flight maneuvering at night. Display: Bi-Occular, FOV 53? x 30? CRT High resolution tester 1023 line rate. In addition, the RAH-66's Hands On Grips controls literally let pilots fly and perform mission tasks with one hand - a first-ever achievement in a helicopter. The Comanche also breaks new ground in the use of high technology composites to satisfy both Low Observable Technology requirements and aggressive weight and cost specifications. Stealth Warrior in the Digital Battlefield Its on-board computing capability enables Comanche to acquire, process, analyze and disseminate an amount of information unsurpassed by today's helicopters. Comanche's low radar signature, high technology composites, special acoustics design, and a buried exhaust system, make it less observable than today's premier attack and armed reconnaissance helicopters. Add to this new generation of passive long-range, high-resolution battlefield sensors, digital interconnectivity, to share data with other members of the combined arms team, produces a completely integrated targeting, and communications weapon system, facilitating the delivery of quick, coordinated responses to tactical situations with minimal work for the pilot. Source information was used with permission from Boeing-Sikorsky

i am still sad they canceled the program hope they reactivated

According to the History Channel the Comanche project is still in operation and they have a full operating prototype. And if I remember right it is planned to come into full operating status by 2010.

There was a large controvesy here when they said it was cancelled... It is sad that it has been cancelled, as it is a beautiful helicopter

Originally posted by browha
There was a large controvesy here when they said it was cancelled... It is sad that it has been cancelled, as it is a beautiful helicopter

Given the Army's experience with the Apaches in Iraq, the Commanche would have been too expensive to risk to some 14 year old with an AK. I agree with you it was a cool bird. Hopefully its technology will move its way into other projects.

Where is the link I can used to validate this?

thanks,

sfz5

Originally posted by WestPoint23
i am still sad they canceled the program hope they reactivated

While I am a fan of the Commanche, did it really have a place in future conflicts? Even as a scout? I would be be very surprised if another army ever confronts the US head on and in the open. The Army's experience in SOmalia and GWII showed they were really vulnerable to small arms fire. Would'nt want a gomer with an AK to take one out. I hope that the technology makes its way into other ships in the future...

As sad as I am to say this it was cancelled due to cheaper smaller more reliable and stealthier UCAVS and drones in the cammache main role was scout and some attack we can achieve this with cheaper UCAVS without risking human life.

Originally posted by FredT
The Army's experience in SOmalia and GWII showed they were really vulnerable to small arms fire.

Those are open terrain countries, even aircrafst at low altitudes are vulnerable to fire from assault rifles in those areas.

I believe it's main reason for being kicked to the curb it the Unmanned A-160 Hummingbird.

Originally posted by E_T

Originally posted by FredT
The Army's experience in SOmalia and GWII showed they were really vulnerable to small arms fire.

Those are open terrain countries, even aircrafst at low altitudes are vulnerable to fire from assault rifles in those areas.

The stealth charecteristics would have alloed it no protection from that. I do agree that small cheaper unmanned drones would be optimal for the mission.

It was canceled in favor of superior alternatives that are already available, and you can rest assured that the technologies developed under this program have been harvested for suitable application to other programs, including a lot of very nifty software.

It's really a shame they cancelled that helicopter. It was a wonder of modern technology.

And for those of you wondering if it would be useful....well hardly an helicopter would be brought down by an AK unless something is very wrong with its maintenance. An Apache can withstands hits of bullets up to 12.7mm, 23mm in the most important and sensitive areas. The comanche has similar levels of endurance and if the problem was indeed maintenance that would be much less of an issue with comanches's improved modular electronics and remove-and-replace system.

Besides, most of the choppers shot down in Iraq and Afghanistan were hit by heat seeking rockets. Comanche radiates only 25% as much heat as an Apache and relies on a IR supressor that cools down gases coming from the exhausts to such an extent that a heat seeking missile can't lock on to it. Hardly any of those rockets use radar to reach their targets but if that were the case they wouldn't be too efficient against an helicopter with a radar signature smaller than a hellfire missile. Even if it were sound....a comanche makes about 50% less noise than an Apache.

Add to that an incredible manouverability and speed, an impressive array of sensors, ability to operate day and night, in bad weather and harsh desert conditions, and the capacity to quickly collect, analyze and disseminate
huge amounts of info and you'll agree that it would be the best possible (manned) replacement for an Apache in its current role in Iraq and Afghanistan.


Now if UCAV's are the reason....well make a cockpit-less comanche, either operating independently or with remote control.

DON'T JUST USE THAT TECH ON OLDER CHOPPERS!!

No, the comanche was designed to let bullets pass through it - it had no armour at all on it bar the glass and seats..

So it could easily be brought down by 5.56 mm weapons let alone any of the bigger stuff.

Man to bad they cancled this. Anyway another country could get their hands on this?

Originally posted by D4rk Kn1ght
No, the comanche was designed to let bullets pass through it - it had no armour at all on it bar the glass and seats..

So it could easily be brought down by 5.56 mm weapons let alone any of the bigger stuff.

No - it may not have had armor in the more traditional sense, but it would take more than 5.56 rounds to bring it down. I actually saw several of the prototypes in mid-construction during the 90's, and it's a pretty survivable system.

Originally posted by D4rk Kn1ght

So it could easily be brought down by 5.56 mm weapons let alone any of the bigger stuff.

A NATO 5.56mm is an M-16 round! You are claiming the RAH-66 was design to be penatrated by a standard M-16 bullet? Sorry, but check your facts. I've never heard of a combat helicopter being that fragile.

Many of our enemies use the larger, more powerful 7.62mm cartage of the AK-47. The Notion of a combat helicopter being that easy to shoot down is Rediulas!

Tim

Originally posted by semperfoo
Man to bad they cancled this. Anyway another country could get their hands on this?

Why would anyone want that overpriced, over weight and underperforming cold war monstrosity? It has no advantages in the combat role over existing designs, and there are A LOT more readily available and cheaper systems for the recce task.

Originally posted by semperfoo
Man to bad they cancled this. Anyway another country could get their hands on this?

Why would USA give the best experimental stealth chopper (ever) to an other country . Obviously they could give it to their allies such as Japan or England. But what would they do with it if USA doesn't do anything with it? The RAH-66 was cancelled because UAV and UCAV took over. Why did they take over? Because they are much cheaper to maintain than an expensive stealth chopper.

Originally posted by Figher Master FIN
The RAH-66 was cancelled because UAV and UCAV took over. Why did they take over? Because they are much cheaper to maintain than an expensive stealth chopper.

Nope - that's not really it at all. Flight software development was way behind schedule, amongst other internal problems in the program. The UAV's and UCAV's have not taken over, if they had, there would not be a requirement for the ARH-70.