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Sikorsky S-97 Raider

Sikorsky (Lockheed Martin) · Compound Helicopter · USA · Digital Age (2010–present)

Sikorsky S-97 Raider — Compound Helicopter
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The Sikorsky S-97 Raider is an American compound coaxial-rotor / pusher-propeller helicopter developed by Sikorsky Aircraft (now Lockheed Martin Sikorsky) as a company-funded demonstrator for armed reconnaissance and light-attack work. First flown in May 2015, the Raider became Sikorsky's principal entry in the U.S. Army Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) competition that ran from 2018 to 2024. When the Army cancelled FARA in February 2024, the S-97 lost its designated customer, and Sikorsky has since carried the type forward only as company-funded research.

Roughly 35 ft (10.7 m) long with a 34-ft (10.4 m) coaxial main rotor, the airframe weighs around 8,500 lb empty and 11,400 lb at maximum take-off. A single General Electric YT706 turboshaft of about 3,000 shp drives both the coaxial main rotor and the auxiliary pusher propeller. Top speed reaches 247 mph (215 knots) — quicker than conventional helicopters but short of the V-280 Valor's 280-knot cruise. Combat radius is around 200 nmi, with a service ceiling of 12,000 ft. The Raider shares its compound coaxial-rotor / pusher-propeller layout with the larger Sikorsky-Boeing SB-1 Defiant, but at a smaller, lighter scale tuned for scout-attack rather than medium-lift assault.

Mission focus was the FARA role: a dedicated scout / attack helicopter to fill the gap left by the retired OH-58D Kiowa Warrior. Specific tasks included reconnaissance and surveillance ahead of friendly ground forces, target-cueing for AH-64 Apache and U.S. Army artillery, light-attack work against soft and point targets, and operations in moderately contested air-defence environments. Sikorsky pitched the combination of higher cruise speed, compact compound-helicopter design, and upgraded mission systems as a return to the scout-attack role once promised by the cancelled RAH-66 Comanche (2004) and delivered by the OH-58D until its 2017 retirement.

Programme history runs from internal Sikorsky funding starting in 2010, through first flight in May 2015, the FARA competition phase from 2018 to 2024 against the Bell 360 Invictus, and cancellation in February 2024 with the broader FARA termination. Two prototypes were built: S-97 #1 first flew in May 2015, S-97 #2 in 2017. Since FARA's cancellation, Sikorsky has kept S-97 work going at reduced tempo with an eye to U.S. Army Special Operations Command interest, foreign and export markets, and technology feed-through to other rotorcraft programmes across Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The Sikorsky S-97 Raider is an experimental fast helicopter. It first flew in 2015 and is one of the first helicopters to use a special design called 'X2' that lets it fly much faster than normal helicopters. The Raider can fly at over 240 mph, almost twice the speed of regular military helicopters.

What makes the Raider so fast? Two main things. First, it has two main rotors stacked on top of each other, spinning in opposite directions. Second, it has a pusher propeller at the back, like an airplane. The two rotors keep the helicopter in the air; the pusher prop pushes it forward at high speed.

The Raider is small for a helicopter, just 36 feet long. It is powered by a single General Electric T700 engine making 2,600 horsepower. Two crew members fly it, and there is space for up to 6 troops in the cabin. It can carry weapons under stub wings, including rockets and machine guns.

Sikorsky built the Raider to show off X2 technology and to test ideas for the U.S. Army's new scout helicopter program. Larger X2-style helicopters like the SB>1 Defiant and Bell V-280 Valor compete to replace older helicopters like the UH-60 Black Hawk. The Raider keeps flying as a testbed for new helicopter ideas.

Fun Facts

  • The Raider can fly over 240 mph, faster than most helicopters.
  • It has two main rotors stacked on top of each other, plus a pusher propeller at the back.
  • The rotors spin in opposite directions, canceling each other's spin force.
  • The Raider first flew in 2015 and is still flying today as a test helicopter.
  • It can carry 6 troops and weapons under stub wings.
  • The Raider's X2 technology came from Sikorsky's earlier X2 demonstrator.
  • A larger version called SB>1 Defiant tried to replace the U.S. Army's Black Hawk.

Kids’ Questions

Why fly so fast?

Faster helicopters cover more ground per hour, escape danger more quickly, and arrive at rescues sooner. Most helicopters top out around 165 mph because of how their rotors work. The Raider's X2 design gets around this limit with stacked rotors plus a pusher prop, letting it fly twice as fast as a normal helicopter.

What is the pusher propeller?

The pusher prop is at the very back of the Raider, pointing backward. When spinning, it pushes air behind the helicopter, making the helicopter move forward. Airplanes use this same idea with their propellers. Most helicopters use only their main rotor to move forward, but the Raider adds a pusher prop for extra speed.

Will the Army buy it?

The Army cancelled its scout helicopter program (called FARA) in 2024, so the Raider has no buyer right now. Sikorsky is still flying the Raider to test ideas and may sell it to other countries or use the technology in future helicopters. The X2 design has been promising for years but has not yet led to large production.

Variants

S-97 Raider #1 (first prototype)
First prototype airframe. First flight May 2015 from Sikorsky's West Palm Beach, Florida facility. Used for development testing 2015-2024.
S-97 Raider #2 (second prototype)
Second prototype airframe. First flight 2017. Flew alongside #1 throughout development testing until FARA cancellation.
Raider X (FARA competition variant)
Sikorsky's FARA competition variant — an upgraded design derived from the baseline S-97. Under development for FARA selection in 2024 but cancelled in February 2024 before Raider X first flight.
Bell 360 Invictus (FARA competitor)
Bell's FARA competitor. Conventional single-main-rotor plus tail-rotor configuration with fly-by-wire flight-control and current-generation sensor systems. Cancelled with the broader FARA programme in February 2024.
Sikorsky-Boeing SB-1 Defiant (related, larger)
Larger sister Sikorsky-Boeing platform from the same compound coaxial-rotor / pusher-propeller technology family. FLRAA competitor; lost to V-280 Valor December 2022. Separate SB-1 entry.

Notable Operators

Sikorsky / Lockheed Martin (developer)
Sole 'operator'. Sikorsky has flight-tested the S-97 Raider from its West Palm Beach, Florida facility since 2015 under an internally funded research and development programme. Activity has been scaled back since the 2024 FARA cancellation.
U.S. Army (FARA evaluator, declined)
The U.S. Army evaluated the S-97 Raider through the FARA competition phase from 2018 to 2024. Cancellation came before final selection. The Army's force-structure shift toward an AH-64E Apache plus UAV combination eliminated the requirement for a dedicated FARA platform.
Foreign / export potential
Several allied and partner nations have expressed interest in S-97 Raider-derivative platforms as modern scout / attack helicopters. No formal export procurement has materialised.
U.S. Special Operations Command potential
USSOCOM has expressed interest in S-97 Raider-derivative platforms for special-operations support, drawn by the type's higher cruise speed and compact footprint suitable for austere bases. No formal USSOCOM procurement has materialised, though discussions continue.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was FARA cancelled?

The U.S. Army shifted force-structure direction in February 2024. Army leadership concluded that the FARA mission — dedicated scout / attack helicopter — could be covered by a combination of: (1) the AH-64E Apache, with 700+ in U.S. Army service; (2) distributed-sensor approaches using UAVs such as the RQ-7 Shadow, MQ-1C Gray Eagle, and the future Future Tactical UAS; and (3) other distributed-sensor concepts. Combined with FY2025 budget pressure, the Army cancelled FARA before either the Bell 360 Invictus or the Sikorsky Raider X reached prototype flight test. The decision drew pushback — many Army aviation officers argued that no distributed-sensor approach matches a dedicated scout helicopter — but the commitment to AH-64E plus UAVs was final.

Will the S-97 still enter frontline service?

Unlikely in its current form. Sikorsky has scaled back S-97 investment since FARA cancellation. The platform may continue as: (1) a technology demonstrator feeding subsequent Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin rotorcraft programmes; (2) a potential basis for U.S. Special Operations Command procurement, if approved; or (3) a candidate for foreign / export procurement, with limited prospects. Direct U.S. Army frontline service for the S-97 is now unlikely.

How does S-97 differ from SB-1 Defiant?

Different size and role classes. SB-1 Defiant: 30,000 lb MTOW, twin-engine, medium-lift assault role (FLRAA replacement for UH-60 Black Hawk). S-97 Raider: 11,400 lb MTOW, single-engine, scout / light-attack role (FARA replacement for OH-58D Kiowa Warrior). Both share the same compound coaxial-rotor / pusher-propeller layout but at different scales tuned for different mission requirements. SB-1 was a joint Sikorsky-Boeing effort; S-97 is Sikorsky-only.

What was the S-97's intended FARA mission?

U.S. Army Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft — a dedicated scout / attack helicopter to replace the retired OH-58D Kiowa Warrior. The mission profile covered: (1) reconnaissance and surveillance ahead of friendly ground forces; (2) target-cueing for AH-64 Apache and U.S. Army artillery; (3) light attack against soft and point targets using AGM-114 Hellfire, 70mm rockets, and a 20mm cannon; and (4) operations in moderately contested air-defence environments via reduced radar and acoustic signature. The Raider's compound-helicopter speed, compact size, and upgraded mission systems were the answer to the gaps left by OH-58D retirement.

What does S-97 cost?

Sikorsky's internal investment in the S-97 from 2010 to 2024 is estimated at $300-500M USD. Per-airframe production cost, had the type entered series build, was projected at $35-50M USD. Total FARA programme cost estimates ran to $20-40B USD across the planned 600+ aircraft fleet. Following FARA cancellation, much of Sikorsky's S-97 investment was effectively written off — though the technology continues to feed subsequent Sikorsky programmes.

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