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Early concepts included both utility and scout/attack versions, but by 1988, the utility concept was dropped. A Request for proposals for the new helicopter type was released in June 1988. In
October 1988, the Boeing-Sikorsky and Bell-McDonnell Douglas teams received contracts for their designs. The
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In March 2004, the Army Chief of Staff terminated the
Comanche program. The termination happened for several reasons; among them were unrealistic and unachievable overarching requirements, the rising projected cost of production, changing aviation mission of the Army (refusal to consider the
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An Army
Aviation Mission Area Analysis, completed in 1982, identified deficiencies in current materiel and doctrine that needed to be addressed to meet the requirements of the new Airland Battle Doctrine. The specific material deficiencies were to be resolved through the LHX program.
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tail rotor. The program's name was changed to Light
Helicopter (LH) in 1990. In April 1991, the Boeing-Sikorsky team was selected as the contest winner and received a contract to build four prototypes. Also that month, the helicopter was designated
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In support of the LHX program, the United States Army started the
Advanced Composite Airframe Program (ACAP) to develop an all-composite helicopter fuselage. In February 1981, contracts were awarded to Sikorsky (for the
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changing threat environment), lack of sufficient funding for other critical aviation needs, the lack of achieving reduced risk of certain key technologies, and chronic
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ducted exhaust system. The Boeing-Sikorsky design carried ordnance within upward swinging gull-wing doors in the sides of the fuselage and featured a
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helicopters. The result of this program lead to the development of the RAH-66 Comanche, which was cancelled before entering production.
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helicopters. In August 1986, the
Defense Science Board review revealed that the Army suffered from
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In 1982, the U.S. Army started the Light
Helicopter Experimental (LHX) program to replace the
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Bell-McDonnell
Douglas design featured ordnance carriage within a combined wing/
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ADA173696 - Report of the
Defense Science Board on LHX Requirements
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171:. The Army solidified requirements too early without sufficient
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The
Comanche Helicopter Program - A Strategic Policy Failure
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The Comanche Helicopter Program - A Strategic Policy Failure
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Military aircraft procurement programs of the United States
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Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
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A Case History of the US Army RAH-66 Comanche Helicopter
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Jackson, Paul, ed. "Boeing Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche".
351:Eden, Paul, ed. "Boeing/Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche".
311:Harding, Stephen. "Boeing-Sikorsky H-66 Comanche".
398:United States Army - Historic U.S Army Helicopters
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292:The International Directory of Military Aircraft
294:, p. 50. Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd, 2002.
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167:in a program development sense, and could not
110:helicopter procurement project to replace the
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326:Jane's All the World's Aircraft, 2006-2007
65:Boeing-Sikorsky and Bell-McDonnell Douglas
353:Encyclopedia of Modern Military Aircraft
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388:Light Helicopter Experimental (LHX)
183:and instead of a tail rotor used a
90:Advanced Composite Airframe Program
19:Light Helicopter Experimental (LHX)
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328:. Jane's Information Group, 2006.
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315:. Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1997.
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423:Helicopter procurement programs
131:) and Bell Helicopter (for the
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313:U.S. Army Aircraft Since 1947
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100:Light Helicopter Experimental
242:Historic US Army Helicopters
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81:, subsequently cancelled
338:(subscription article)
106:) program was a 1980s
375:- US Army War College
355:. Amber Books, 2004.
169:think outside the box
413:Military helicopters
36:General information
247:2009-06-27 at the
224:LHX Attack Chopper
108:United States Army
56:United States Army
44:Utility and Scout/
290:Frawley, Gerard.
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173:risk management
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165:stovepiping
139:LHX program
116:OH-58 Kiowa
41:Project for
407:Categories
230:References
214:Bell D-292
202:groupthink
133:Bell D-292
122:Background
112:AH-1 Cobra
251:. US Army
189:fenestron
62:Proposals
52:Issued by
245:Archived
208:See also
181:sponson
86:Related
75:Outcome
70:History
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159:, and
92:(ACAP)
185:NOTAR
161:OH-58
357:ISBN
330:ISBN
296:ISBN
157:OH-6
153:AH-1
149:UH-1
114:and
98:The
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104:LHX
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