RAH-66 Comanche
Boeing Sikorsky · United States · first flew 1996 · helicopter
The RAH-66 Comanche was a stealthy armed reconnaissance helicopter developed jointly by Boeing and Sikorsky for the US Army, cancelled in 2004 before entering service.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Stealthy faceted fuselage with retractable weapons bay |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Stealthy faceted fuselage with retractable weapons bay
- Shrouded fantail (fenestron-style) anti-torque rotor
- Five-bladed bearingless main rotor
Identify it by the angular low-observable fuselage, the enclosed tail rotor in a canted shroud and the fully retractable landing gear and weapons doors.
Specifications
- The RAH-66 Comanche has a length of 14.28 m (47 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 11.9 m (39 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 324 km/h (201 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Selected in 1991 to replace ageing scout and light attack helicopters, the Comanche introduced radar-absorbent shaping, internal weapons and advanced sensors. The first of two prototypes flew on 4 January 1996, but spiralling costs and shifting priorities led the Army to cancel the programme in 2004.
Variants
Only two flying prototypes were built, both to the RAH-66A reconnaissance and light-attack configuration. Planned production versions would have carried Hellfire and Stinger missiles from an internal bay with optional stub-wing pylons.
Where you'll see it
The Comanche never reached operational service with any air arm, including allied forces such as the British Army. Its cancellation redirected US Army funding toward existing Apache and unmanned systems.
Related aircraft
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