Speed and Maneuverability Benefits of Sikorsky's X2 Technology versus Air-Defense Artillery

Abstract

An aircraft's survivability in a hostile environment is a mixture of factors that stem from both susceptibility and vulnerability. Conducting analyses that incorporate these factors into a blended solution is vital. One such analysis was conducted using the government-provided Air-Defense Artillery (ADA) simulation tool Radar Directed Gun System (RADGUNS). RADGUNS provides a three-dimensional engagement space to conduct one versus one encounters against Radio Frequency (RF) guided threats. Complex user-generated flight paths can be simulated with varying relative starting locations of the aircraft relative to the threat being considered. The simulations conducted incorporated various aircraft parameters. Aircraft velocity, acceleration rates, deceleration rates, vulnerable area, and radar cross section (RCS) were the primary parameters whose effects were investigated. For each encounter, the Probability of Hit (PH) and Probability of Kill given a Hit (PK|H) were calculated, accounting for the susceptibility and vulnerability segments of the kill chain, respectively. A holistic metric of the kill chain, Probability of Kill (PK), and Engagement Time were the primary results of each engagement. Varying prominent aircraft input parameters can provide key insights in the prediction of an aircraft's survivability. This paper will focus on the benefits of speed and maneuverability, obtainable with Sikorsky's X2 TechnologyTM, in the realm of survivability versus radar and human guided threats.