The US Army has collaborated with GE Aviation to successfully carry out the preliminary design review (PDR) of the T901-GE-900 engine for the improved turbine engine programme (ITEP).
Under the programme, the US Army intends to re-engine its Boeing AH-64 Apache and Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters.
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The PDR is a part of the $102m, 24-month technology maturation and risk reduction (TMRR) contract awarded to GE by the US Army in September 2016.
GE Aviation has already demonstrated that the T901 turbine engine can be easily integrated with the Apache and Black Hawk platforms.
To date, the company has invested more than $9bn in maturing commercial technologies that would be applicable to the T901 engine. It has also spent more than $300m on the development and testing of the turboshaft-specific technologies ahead of the PDR.
The company has funded and successfully completed testing a T901 prototype engine, in addition to conducting component tests and delivering the advanced technology to the US Army and the US Department of Defense.
T901 engines are integrated with a range of technologies such as additive manufacturing, 3D aerodynamic design tools, ceramic matrix composites (CMCs), advanced cooling technologies, and sand tolerant technologies, which would help advance Army Aviation into the future of vertical lift.
T901 Programme executive director Ron Hutter said: “The simple, proven, single-spool design of the T901, coupled with GE’s advanced commercial and military technologies, allow it to exceed the army’s requirements.
“The T901 is lighter, less complex and more maintainable for the warfighter, which leads to improved readiness and reduced life-cycle costs.”
