The Sikorsky UH-60M is powered by GE Aviation's T700-701D. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Scott Tynes)
The Honeywell/Pratt & Whitney joint venture, Advanced Turbine Engine Company (ATEC), has submitted the first of two proposals to the U.S. Army for the Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP). The proposals are headed to the Army’s Contracting Command for the engineering and manufacturing development (EDM) phase of the program.
“We are very pleased to offer the T900 dual-spool engine as the best option for the Army’s Improved Turbine Engine Program,” said Craig Madden, president of ATEC. “Our joint venture has spent nearly 12 years developing technologies and designing an engine that will provide expanded mission capabilities to our warfighters. Our proposal lays out why the T900 is the best choice for the Army to improve the overall performance of their Apache and Black Hawk fleets.”
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ITEP aims to develop an engine for the Boeing and Sikorsky models that generates 50% more power, is between 20% and 25% more fuel efficient, and has a 20% increase in design life relative to current engines.
The T900, ATEC said, boasts dual-spool architecture, which has been used in fixed-wing propeller and jet aircraft since the 1950s. “Dual-spool” refers to the number of rotating assemblies within the helicopter engine.
According to the company, ATEC will soon host a preliminary design review of the engine with the Army. Then, it would submit the second phase of the proposal.
December 2017, ATEC was able to confirm its T900 could actually be installed on the two aircraft by using a high-fidelity mockup of the 3,000 shaft horsepower engine.