High-speed aircraft developer Hermeus has brought online the first phase of a facility designed to address what it calls a critical shortage of hypersonic test infrastructure. The High Enthalpy Air-Breathing Test (HEAT) facility has already been used to complete a series of trials on a Pratt & Whitney F100, the base engine model that will power Hermeus’ supersonic and hypersonic test vehicles.

Based at Cecil Airport in Jacksonville, Florida, the HEAT facility incorporates upgraded test infrastructure from the former Cecil Naval Air Station. Hermeus inherited test cells built in 1959 and an aircraft “hush house,” or sound-dampening structure, that followed in 1989, the company said. It is updating these facilities to provide a venue for modern military and commercial engine testing.

“In just three months since breaking ground, HEAT has come online and is positioned to unlock low-cost, high-capability propulsion testing that will support the delivery of hypersonic aircraft before the end of the decade,” said Hermeus co-founder and CEO A.J. Piplica. “Current hypersonic test facilities are booked a year or more in advance and are prohibitively expensive. HEAT will alleviate capacity limitations, offer more affordable options, and establish itself as a critical national resource for hypersonic testing.”

Plans call to continue to build out the HEAT facility incrementally, including adding a continuous high-Mach vitiated airflow to simulate more flight-like hypersonic testing conditions.

Current F100 tests involve its use in Hermeus’ next test vehicle, Quarterhorse Mk 2, which will fly at speeds exceeding Mach 2. Hermeus also plans to use the F100 as the turbine core for its Chimera engine, which will be capable of reaching Mach 5. Chimera will power Quarterhorse Mk 3, which will demonstrate turbine-to-ramjet mode transition in flight.