Sikorsky S-97 Raider - EARLY WIP

[officeramr 269]

Is the helicopter for inserting a squad into areas where a little bird would get shot down by small arms?

[kbbw123 115]

well the way that sikorsky sees it its gonna be a helicopter thats gonna replace every helicopter in the usa army/ airforce/ navy/ marines/ civillian purpose you can find. as they statet in a x2 video it will be more usefull in any situation than normal choppers through a mass list of pros.

back ontopic love the design very eager to see how you're gonna implement its special way of flying!

[yasotay 196]

The video is of course a real aircraft, but I would caution that the cockpit is more developed for the experimental work than a final design. At this point you can likely do pretty much whatever you want for the crew.

It may interest you to know that the folks who bring you MH/AH-6 have been interested and observing this program from the start. As good as the "6" is for what it does, it does not have long legs (i.e. it's short ranged) for doing clandestine insertions and even after all the work on the tail rotor (x'ing the rotor and angling it) it is still very hard to sneek up on anyone.

The fan at the back of the S-97 (or any X-2 type) is not flight critical, so it can be turned off on approach to be more quiet. Unlike a tail rotor if it stops working you still have full control of the aircraft. So as you work the flight dynamics of the model there is no counter torque issue if the prop gets shot.

[tybo25 18]

Wow, good to see someone´s working on this interesting piece of technology. Looks really good man.

[Wambo333 11]

Awesome, there can't be enough helicopters for me. I love all of them :D

[DAGGER ARMANET 172]

Thanks for the comments and thoughts everyone, Been away this weekend on family stuff. Back at it this week!

---------- Post added at 03:30 ---------- Previous post was at 02:41 ----------

Thanks for the comments and thoughts everyone, Been away this weekend on family stuff. Back at it this week!

[yasotay 196]

So some thoughts for you. I would recommend to you that one of the hard areas you will have will be the sensors. I would expect that given another five years of development before anyone considers buying the aircraft the MTADS on the AH-64E or any of the other top of the line will be Pentium 1 quality by then. Top of the line by then will likely include color FLIR. A game issue: PLEASE let the pilot see the direction that the co-pilot/observer is looking with the sensor on the radar display. Second, would recommend that you consider Dagger as the core rocket/missile for your aircraft. USMC and SOF are already investing in precision 2.75 inch rockets. Army will get around to it eventually. I would also ask you to consider a larger cannon for the aircraft at some point. .50cal is great for insurgent suppression but not grand for urban fights or light armor. I would recommend a GIAT like 20mm like weapon.

Just some stray voltage.

[Bormann2 16]

So some thoughts for you. I would recommend to you that one of the hard areas you will have will be the sensors. I would expect that given another five years of development before anyone considers buying the aircraft the MTADS on the AH-64E or any of the other top of the line will be Pentium 1 quality by then. Top of the line by then will likely include color FLIR. A game issue: PLEASE let the pilot see the direction that the co-pilot/observer is looking with the sensor on the radar display. Second, would recommend that you consider Dagger as the core rocket/missile for your aircraft. USMC and SOF are already investing in precision 2.75 inch rockets. Army will get around to it eventually. I would also ask you to consider a larger cannon for the aircraft at some point. .50cal is great for insurgent suppression but not grand for urban fights or light armor. I would recommend a GIAT like 20mm like weapon.

Just some stray voltage.

+1 for some kind of autocannon

[Rich_R 1087]

Yasotay is spot on with his thoughts....

This mod could really add a new edge to Arma 3 :)

[DAGGER ARMANET 172]

So some thoughts for you. I would recommend to you that one of the hard areas you will have will be the sensors. I would expect that given another five years of development before anyone considers buying the aircraft the MTADS on the AH-64E or any of the other top of the line will be Pentium 1 quality by then. Top of the line by then will likely include color FLIR. A game issue: PLEASE let the pilot see the direction that the co-pilot/observer is looking with the sensor on the radar display. Second, would recommend that you consider Dagger as the core rocket/missile for your aircraft. USMC and SOF are already investing in precision 2.75 inch rockets. Army will get around to it eventually. I would also ask you to consider a larger cannon for the aircraft at some point. .50cal is great for insurgent suppression but not grand for urban fights or light armor. I would recommend a GIAT like 20mm like weapon.

Just some stray voltage.

As always thanks for the invaluable thoughts Yasotay. Once we finish with our current model phase of the project, I am going to be drafting up a rather detailed PM that i will send to you in order to get your advice on a few things. Appreciate all your thoughts... they are damn good ones.

[CaptainAzimuth 712]

So some thoughts for you. I would recommend to you that one of the hard areas you will have will be the sensors. I would expect that given another five years of development before anyone considers buying the aircraft the MTADS on the AH-64E or any of the other top of the line will be Pentium 1 quality by then. Top of the line by then will likely include color FLIR. A game issue: PLEASE let the pilot see the direction that the co-pilot/observer is looking with the sensor on the radar display. Second, would recommend that you consider Dagger as the core rocket/missile for your aircraft. USMC and SOF are already investing in precision 2.75 inch rockets. Army will get around to it eventually. I would also ask you to consider a larger cannon for the aircraft at some point. .50cal is great for insurgent suppression but not grand for urban fights or light armor. I would recommend a GIAT like 20mm like weapon.

Just some stray voltage.

No adays, a lot of nations use a 20mm Gun-pod, in fact, the same one on the L-159 ALCA in game.

[john111 76]

Add a Searchlight operated by joystick hat and useable by pilots and Team Leader,also a dual gun-pod configuration.  Thanks!

[officeramr 269]

 

Add a Searchlight operated by joystick hat and useable by pilots and Team Leader,also a dual gun-pod configuration.  Thanks!

 

That would be good, the co-pilot could have both the Spotlight and laser designator 

[the amazing flight lizard 9]

As a long-time Sikorsky-baby who's been following this project since Quad-A in 2008, I'm really interested in seeing where you take yours.

 

Also, congrats on your work so far. Looks great.

[DAGGER ARMANET 172]

As a long-time Sikorsky-baby who's been following this project since Quad-A in 2008, I'm really interested in seeing where you take yours.

 

Also, congrats on your work so far. Looks great.

 

Thanks for the kind words.

 

Quick update...

 

I hope to get some image updates up in like the next few days or next week. I am sorta off site on work related things over the next few days. But I have been speaking to my modeler and there is a consensus among both of us that we would really like to do the SB1 Defiant as well. Then once i realized that he already started on the Defiant base model it convinced me further. So we might make these helos a package deal. However we will probably still release the S97 Raider as a beta version and hold it there until both helos release as a package. 

 

Working through issues with the S97 makes us feel that the SB1 would have a quicker turn around. But this shouldn't affect the S97 releasing as planned but probably release it solo up through beta and then hold on the v1 until Defiant releases with it. Not sure.

 

PS thanks for everyone who has posted reference videos and images. Very helpful. I do need to a bit more research on the Defiant, as well as any leaps we want to take in terms of where the technology would be when it matures interns of armaments, capacity, specs etc.

[officeramr 269]

will the S97 do its realistic top speed (444 kmph)? I can see it replacing the Pawnee in game if it does. 

[yasotay 196]

I would guess that it will cruise normally between 180-200 knots (still impressive) and like an airplane if you put it in "afterburner" (no not literally) it will get up to 230 knots, but it will burn a lot more gas to do so. The cool thing about the prop at the back is that you won't have to point the nose at the dirt to accelerate out of an LZ.

[DAGGER ARMANET 172]

I would guess that it will cruise normally between 180-200 knots (still impressive) and like an airplane if you put it in "afterburner" (no not literally) it will get up to 230 knots, but it will burn a lot more gas to do so. The cool thing about the prop at the back is that you won't have to point the nose at the dirt to accelerate out of an LZ.

 

Yeah exactly. The trickiest part of this project is the flight model at this point. We are trying to capture the unique aspects that the pusher prop bring to the platform. Currently we are doing a lot of experiments and coming up with some interesting and promising solutions. I meant to post more screenshots recently of the model progression but have a baby on the way in a few weeks so been a lil distracted. Suffice it to say the mod is still in active development and each day takes a few steps toward an alpha release at some point soonish

 

also to answer the above question about top speed. THIS MAY CHANGE but currently with pusher prop activated we have top speed around 240 knots so around 444mph. However keep in mind this may change. Additional research is going into this as we speak especially in terms of additional armaments / avionics / =weight and what works best in the armaverse.  

[officeramr 269]

Yeah exactly. The trickiest part of this project is the flight model at this point. We are trying to capture the unique aspects that the pusher prop bring to the platform. Currently we are doing a lot of experiments and coming up with some interesting and promising solutions. I meant to post more screenshots recently of the model progression but have a baby on the way in a few weeks so been a lil distracted. Suffice it to say the mod is still in active development and each day takes a few steps toward an alpha release at some point soonish

 

also to answer the above question about top speed. THIS MAY CHANGE but currently with pusher prop activated we have top speed around 240 knots so around 444mph. However keep in mind this may change. Additional research is going into this as we speak especially in terms of additional armaments / avionics / =weight and what works best in the armaverse.  

Maybe you can have the tail prop work like an afterburner, or make it damageable, and when it is damage its doomed to a life of regular choppering 

[McLupo 118]

Hi Opsixdelta,

 

guess I overlooked this topic anytime???!!!...what a shame...!  :o 

Great work so far and what a flying monster. It is beautiful to behold.

I´m looking forward to this masterpiece!

 

Greetings
McLupo

[yasotay 196]

I would guess that without the pusher prop you are probably maxing out in the 160 knot range. Think 240 knots is okay for a small external weapons load but if you go with a big rocket pod version you are likely to max out 10 to 15 knots slower.

Also to get max speeds you have to fly with cargo doors closed. Not sure we're the max power point would be for doors open, but in real world much over 150 knots you are flailing the troops in back. Any jump masters around to confirm?

[Rich_R 1087]

Has anyone modeled open door effects in Arma 3 yet? This would be very cool if it was possible. it would add a whole new dimension to the game.

[officeramr 269]

Has anyone modeled open door effects in Arma 3 yet? This would be very cool if it was possible. it would add a whole new dimension to the game.

RHS has them on quite a few vehicles 

[Foxone 1044]

http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2015/10/a-walk-around-sikorsky-raider-contender-for-worlds-fastest-military-copter/

I found this on the web today, there are some good shots of the raider, including the cockpit and the passanger bay.

[fathersarge 45]

I'm so excited for this mod. Just found it and I would love to offer up my body and soul to be a tester