The fastest US military helicopter in the world

The US Army is preparing to deploy the S-97 Raider with a maximum speed of over 405 km/h, far surpassing the previous record of the CH-47F Chinook model.

S-97 helicopter during testing. Photo: Lockheed Martin.

The S-97 Raider is the latest helicopter developed by Lockheed Martin for the US Army, capable of carrying six infantrymen and two pilots. This is considered the "latest major achievement" for the US Army. The use of coaxial rotor blades and a pusher rotor at the tail is the secret to the S-97's speed.over 405 km/h, breaking the world's fastest speed record of 315 km/hof the CH-47F Chinook transport helicopter, according toBusiness Insider.

The manufacturer describes the S-97 as a light tactical helicopter, capable of operating in environments as hot as 35 degrees Celsius and at altitudes of over 3,000 meters. It can serve a variety of missions, such as ground attack support, reconnaissance, search and rescue, or even converted into an unmanned helicopter.

Not only is it fast, the S-97 is also equipped with many offensive weapons such as AGM-114 Hellfire anti-tank missiles, 70mm Hydra rockets, 12.7mm or 7.62mm machine guns. The aircraft is also relatively small in size, a C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft can carry up to 4 S-97s at the same time.

The S-97 Raider is a product of the Armed Airborne Reconnaissance (AAS) project.worth 200 million USDThe S-97 was ordered by the US Army to replace the OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter. Lockheed Martin is also offering the S-97 to the US Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force.

According to VNE