Air Force awards $2B in advanced engine contracts

By Courtney Albon / July 1, 2016 at 1:13 PM

The Air Force this week awarded more than $2 billion in advanced engine development contracts to Pratt & Whitney and General Electric.

The contracts, worth more than $1 billion each with options, represent the next phase of the service's Advanced Engine Transition Program. Both companies have been developing and maturing technologies through the service's Advanced Engine Technology Demonstration program since 2011. The AETP contract will provide funding to transition that work into a full prototype engine.

In a July 1 press release, the Air Force's AETP Materiel Leader Lt. Col. Jeff Finch said AETP represents "a revolutionary advance in turbine engine technology."

"Throughout AETP, we look forward to working with both engine manufacturers as they continue maturing fuel-efficient adaptive cycle engine technologies," said Finch. "Our collaborative focus will be reducing associated technical and manufacturing risks in preparation for next-generation propulsion system development for multiple combat aircraft applications."

The program aims to demonstrated 25 percent improved fuel efficiency and a 10 percent increase in thrust.

GE's General Manager for Advanced Combat Engines Dan McCormick said in a June 30 statement the company is "honored to continue our work with AFRL while initiating the next phase of the technology maturation with the [Air Force Life Cycle Management Center], transitioning our learnings as the only engine manufacturer to have successfully tested a full three-stream adaptive cycle engine."

Jimmy Kenyon, Pratt's senior director of advanced programs and technology said in a June 30 release the company's plan "fully embraces the spirit and intent of the U.S. Air Force's goals to provide a highly capable adaptive engine design with the ability to power a wide range of future and legacy aircraft applications."

Pratt demonstrated a three-stream fan in a rig in 2013 as part of the AETD program, the release states.

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