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Gareth Jennings, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
23 August 2016
The US Army is looking to increase the power output and reduce the fuel consumption of the engines fitted to its Black Hawk (pictured) and Apache helicopters. Source: IHS/Gareth Jennings
The US Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded contracts valued at a combined USD256 million to two companies to begin the process of developing a new helicopter powerplant, it announced on 23 August.
The contracts were awarded to Advanced Turbine Engine Company (ATEC) - a joint venture between Honeywell and Pratt & Whitney (P&W) - and General Electric (GE) for USD154 million and USD102 million respectively, and cover the procurement of a preliminary design review (PDR) for an improved turbine engine for use on Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk and Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopters.
According to the DoD, two bids were solicited and two were received. Work on both contracts will run through to 21 August 2018, at which time a down-select is expected.
Dubbed the Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP), the US Army's effort to replace the powerplants of its Black Hawk and Apache helicopters was launched in September 2015. Both ATEC and GE expressed their interest at an early stage, with the former offering the HPW3000 engine and the latter the GE3000. Under ITEP, the US Army is looking to increase the power output of the 2,000 shp GE T700 turbine that powers the Black Hawk and Apache by 50%, while reducing fuel consumption by 25%. The new 3,000 shp powerplant must also be a form-fit replacement for the old one.
As noted by the US Army, the ITEP effort currently represents the service's number one aviation priority, as it looks to increase the capabilities of its 1970s-era platforms ahead of the planned introduction into service in the coming decades of the Future Vertical-Lift (FVL) platforms. Other service aviation priorities include the continuing fleet divesture that will see seven helicopter types reduced to four (under current plans, the US Army will field a fleet of 690 AH-64E, 1,375 UH-60M, 760 UH-60L [digitally upgraded], 473 CH-47F, and 345 UH-72A helicopters); the resetting and sustainment of equipment that has been operational in conflict; the incremental upgrade of platforms with new survivability and communications equipment; and the development of new systems such as Common Infrared Countermeasures; FVL; and the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM).
23 August 2016
The US Army is looking to increase the power output and reduce the fuel consumption of the engines fitted to its Black Hawk (pictured) and Apache helicopters. Source: IHS/Gareth Jennings
The US Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded contracts valued at a combined USD256 million to two companies to begin the process of developing a new helicopter powerplant, it announced on 23 August.
The contracts were awarded to Advanced Turbine Engine Company (ATEC) - a joint venture between Honeywell and Pratt & Whitney (P&W) - and General Electric (GE) for USD154 million and USD102 million respectively, and cover the procurement of a preliminary design review (PDR) for an improved turbine engine for use on Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk and Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopters.
According to the DoD, two bids were solicited and two were received. Work on both contracts will run through to 21 August 2018, at which time a down-select is expected.
Dubbed the Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP), the US Army's effort to replace the powerplants of its Black Hawk and Apache helicopters was launched in September 2015. Both ATEC and GE expressed their interest at an early stage, with the former offering the HPW3000 engine and the latter the GE3000. Under ITEP, the US Army is looking to increase the power output of the 2,000 shp GE T700 turbine that powers the Black Hawk and Apache by 50%, while reducing fuel consumption by 25%. The new 3,000 shp powerplant must also be a form-fit replacement for the old one.
As noted by the US Army, the ITEP effort currently represents the service's number one aviation priority, as it looks to increase the capabilities of its 1970s-era platforms ahead of the planned introduction into service in the coming decades of the Future Vertical-Lift (FVL) platforms. Other service aviation priorities include the continuing fleet divesture that will see seven helicopter types reduced to four (under current plans, the US Army will field a fleet of 690 AH-64E, 1,375 UH-60M, 760 UH-60L [digitally upgraded], 473 CH-47F, and 345 UH-72A helicopters); the resetting and sustainment of equipment that has been operational in conflict; the incremental upgrade of platforms with new survivability and communications equipment; and the development of new systems such as Common Infrared Countermeasures; FVL; and the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM).
