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	Director, Operational Test & Evaluation
FY97 Annual Report

RAH-66 COMANCHE

	Army ACAT ID Program 1,298 systems Total program cost (TY$) $47.8B Average unit cost (TY$) $30.3M Full-rate production 1QFY07 Prime Contractor Boeing/Sikorsky

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION & CONTRIBUTION TO JOINT VISION 2010

The RAH-66 Comanche is an advanced twin turbine, two seat (tandem) light attack/armed reconnaissance helicopter currently being developed for the U.S. Army by a joint venture comprising Boeing Helicopters and Sikorsky Aircraft. The Comanche features a five-bladed bearingless main rotor, a shrouded tail rotor, a low radar cross section composite fuselage with retractable weapons pylons, a fly-by-wire flight control system, and a fully integrated cockpit. The mission equipment package incorporates FLIR and Image Intensified (I2) television sensors for night flying and target acquisition. The Comanche will initially be armed with the Semi-Active Laser (SAL) Hellfire missile, the air-to-air Stinger missile, 2.75 inch aerial rockets, and a turreted 20 mm gun.

The Comanche is intended to replace the current fleet of AH-1 and OH-58 helicopters in all air cavalry troops and light division attack helicopter battalions, and supplement the AH-64 Apache in heavy division/corps attack helicopter battalions.

The Comanche will provide armed reconnaissance and light attack capability for attack helicopter and air cavalry units. The Comanche is a dominant maneuver platform that leverages information superiority and precision engagement to provide an element of full-dimensional protection to the ground maneuver force.

The Comanche program is currently in a program definition/risk reduction phase. First flight of the aircraft occurred in January 1996, and developmental testing is proceeding in accordance with the TEMP. The program should enter the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) stage following a Milestone II decision in 1Q FY 2002. The full-rate production decision is scheduled for 1Q FY 2007.

There have been no Comanche OT&E events to date. The OT&E strategy described in the Test and Evaluation Master Plan dated September 1995 employs a combination of simulation and actual flight activities that include:

• Two simulation-based Force Development Test and Experimentations (FDTEs) and a Limited User Test (LUT) with a single prototype aircraft prior to Milestone II

• A third FDTE and a second LUT, each using six prototype aircraft, prior to the Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) decision

• A fourth FDTE and an Initial Operational Test (IOT) involving eight LRIP aircraft prior to Milestone III.

In addition, the strategy provides for six of the eight Comanche prototypes developed during program definition/risk reduction to participate in user field exercises, such as those conducted at the National Training Center, during a two year period prior to the LRIP contract award.

The major goal of this nine year evaluation program is to clearly establish the operational effectiveness and suitability of the Comanche helicopter, with particular emphasis on situational awareness, survivability, lethality, and sustainability. In order to maximize the likelihood that timely and relevant information will be available to decision makers, a baseline evaluation strategy is being pursued that will provide a series of relative comparisons of the combat potential of the Comanche and the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior.

DOT&E has been working with the Army to develop this test strategy. DOT&E has also been monitoring ongoing developmental testing.

The TEMP was approved Sep 95 with a scheduled update to address unresolved DT issues subsequent to the completion of the revised Comanche contract. The updated version of the TEMP is in the approval process now. The Army is exploring the merits of using a Mission Success Template methodology to reduce or perhaps eliminate side-by-side testing with the aircraft that the Comanche is to replace. The dialogue between DOT&E and the Army regarding this issue continues. The first operational assessment, to be based primarily on data acquired during FDTEs I and II and LUT I, will be prepared at the completion of DEM/VAL and submitted in support of Milestone II.