U.S. Army's Next-Gen Workhorse Continues Development

Honeywell has reached a milestone with the U.S. Army's upcoming Chinook helicopter engine replacement. Their are the first engine to test as part of the CDooperative Research and Development Agreement for the platform, testing their T55-714C engine for integrative ease and reliability in the next Chinook iteration. Their cooperation has allowed Army authorities to evaluate the capabilities of the newest rendition of the proven T55 engine.

Testing was begun at Honeywell's Phoenix, Arizona test facilities to benchmark the changes to the design in preparation for installation on the flight test aircraft. Testing has revealed promising data on Maximum Continuous Power, with future, higher power levels to come. The newest T55 iteration sports 6,000 horsepower, a 23% bump over its most recent predecessor, while burining 8% less fuel. The modifications are said to decrease operating costs through parts reduction, simplification, and repositioning while boosting reliability by 25%. Overall parts count was reduced by 27%, with certain mandatory procedures now being completed on the aircraft, negating prior procedures that required engine removal. The modifications to the T55 series could see operating costs drop by 50% when compared against similar engine options for the Chinook, according to Honeywell.

If successful, the new engine program could boost the Army's twin-rotor workhorse, increasing its mission capability while being a simple, affordable upgrade to legacy aircraft. The 2020 addition to Honeywell's repair and overhaul network in Phoenix can deliver 20 new engines per month to the Army or other FMS customers, as well as complete all necessary work on extant T55-714A engines where needed. The first of those units were delivered in 1961, originally granting only a third of the modern engine's output.

"We are proud to partner with the U.S. Army on the CRADA program for the next-generation T55-GA-714C engine," said Steven Williams, VP of Defense Aftermarket at Honeywell. "We will be able to demonstrate the power, capability and reliability of the upgraded engine to the U.S. Army. Additionally, we are on track and on schedule to deliver the new engines and meet the U.S. Army's needs."

FMI: www.aerospace.honeywell.com