BOEING/SIKORSKY RAH-66 'Comanche'

The FY 1993 budget delayed development and production phases indefinitely.
Development and production phases reinstated in January 1993 with a further three prototypes to be built for engineering and manufacturing development, EMD phase, in FY 1998-2003.
First production procurement in FY 1999.
Final critical design review completed in December 1993 and authorized production of three YRAH-66 prototypes with the first manufactured in September 1993.

RAH-66 will be lighter, but only slightly smaller, than AH-64 Apache.
Specified empty weight of 3,402 kg (7,500 lb) increased 22.5 per cent by early 1992, as result of Army add-ons, including allowance for Longbow radar, and mission equipment package has maximum commonality with F-22A ATF technology.

Largely composite airframe and rotor system.
Fuselage built around composite internal box-beam, non-load-bearing skin panels, more than half of which can be hinged or removed for access to interior (eg. weapons bay doors can double as maintenance work platforms).
Eight-blade Fantail rear rotor operable with 12.7mm calibre bullet hits, or for 30 min with one blade missing.
Main rotor blades and tail section by Boeing, forward fuselage and final assembly by Sikorsky.

Two LHTEC T800-LHT turboshafts, each rated at 1,002kW (1,344 shp).
Internal fuel capacity: 984 litres (260 US gallons; 217 Imp gallons) for self-deployment, total fuel capacity: 4,467 litres (1,180 US gallons; 982.5 Imp gallons).

General Electric/GIAT three-barrel 20 mm cannon in undernose turret, with up to 500 rounds (320 rds normal for primary mission).
Cost-saving option of fixed forward cannon.
Side-opening weapons bay door in each side of fuselage, on each of which can be mounted up to three Hellfire or six Stinger missiles or other weapons.
Four more Hellfires or eight Stingers can be deployed from multiple carriers under tip of each optional stub-wing, or a 1,741.5 litre (460 US gallon; 383 Imp gallon) auxiliary fuel tank for self-deployment.
All weapons can be fired, and targets designated, from push-buttons on collective and sidestick controllers.

DIMENSIONS:
Main rotor diameter:	11,90m	39 ft 1/2 in
Fnatail diameter:	1.37 m	4ft 6 in
Fantail blade chord:	0.17 m	6 3/4 in
Length overall, rotor turning:	14.28 m	46 ft 10 1/4 in
fuselage/excl gun barrel:	13.22 m	43 ft 4 1/2 in
Height over tailplane:	3.39 m	11 ft 1 1/2 in
Fuselage; Max width:	2.29 m	7 ft 6 in
Width over mainwheels:	2.31 m	7 ft 7 in
Tailplane span:	2.82 m	9 ft 3 in
AREAS:
Main rotor disc:	111.21m²	1,197.04 sq ft
Fantail disc:	1.47m²	15.90 sq ft
WEIGHTS AND LOADINGS:
Empty:	3,515 kg	7,749 lb
Empty, combat equipped:(incl Longbow)	4,167 kg	9,187 lb
Max useful load:	1,185 kg	2,612 lb
T-O weight:	4,587 kg	10,112 lb
Max/self-deployability:	7,790 kg	17,174 lb
PERFORMANCE: (at 1,220 m; 4,000 ft and 34°C; 95°F)
Max level (dash) speed:	177 knots	328 km/h; 204 mph
Vertical rate of climb:	360 m/min	1,182 ft/min
Ferry range with external tanks:	1,260nm	2,334 km; 1,450 miles
Endurance:	2h 30 min
g limits:	+3.5/-1