New Engine Finally Reaches Army Hands for Some Good Ol’ T&E

A pair of GE Aerospace's new T901-GE-900 engines have made their way into U.S. Army hands for testing, putting the next-generation powerplant to the test to gauge whether it works for overhaul and future aircraft.

The units will be put to the test under the Improved Turbine Engine Program for the UH-60 Black Hawk, the bread and butter of Army air mobility. The T901 was the beating heart of Sikorsky's Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) prototype, which was then hoped to provide test data for future overhauls of the UH-60 and AH-64 Apache series. The T901 isn't anything too crazy, either, just a modernization of a trusty, reliable, combat-proven unit that has given more than 100 million flight hours as the T700 engine. Combat aircraft want reliability above all, and GE Aerospace believes they've delivered with the T901, while giving the extra oomph and reduced fuel burn operators want in a next-gen engine. 

The delivery was celebrated with a little ceremony at Sikorsky's factory in West Palm Beach, Florida. 

“This delivery represents the beginning of a new era and a pivotal moment in our ongoing work with the U.S. Army,” said Amy Gowder, president and CEO, Defense & Systems at GE Aerospace. “The T901 engine will ensure warfighters will have the performance, power, and reliability necessary to maintain a significant advantage on the battlefield.”

“Our team is immensely proud to announce the latest T901 deliveries to the U.S. Army,” said Tom Champion, GE Aerospace’s T901 program director. “At every stage, these engines have demonstrated a level of performance that will undoubtedly help meet the demands of military missions for decades to come.”

FMI: www.geaerospace.com