Chris Kjelgaard

As GE Aviation prepares to begin detailed design and development of its T901 turboshaft engine under a U.S. Army sole-source engineering, manufacturing, and development (EMD) contract, the company’s competitor is lobbying Congress to also award it a parallel EMD contract so it can mature its rival T900 offering.

 


In February, GE was awarded the $517 million sole-source EMD contract for the Army's Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP). After a protest from its rival, the Advanced Turbine Engine Company (ATEC) joint venture between Pratt &amp; Whitney and Honeywell, on May 31&nbsp;the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) notified the companies that after a 100-day review it had denied the protest.

 


Under preliminary design contracts, GE and ATEC had developed prototypes of their respective T901 single-shaft and T900 two-shaft turboshaft designs to compete for the ITEP requirement.

 


ITEP sought a new 3,000-shp-class turboshaft engine to replace the&nbsp;single-shaft GE T700s powering the Army’s fleets of Lockheed Martin/Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk and Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopters.

 


The service also expects the ITEP engine to power the Future Attack and Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA), which represents Capability Set One of the Army's Future Vertical Lift rotorcraft requirement.

 


GE Aviation promptly heralded the GAO’s decision: “We’ve spent the last 12 years developing the T901 engine, including successful completion of the Advanced Affordable Turbine Engine program, a technology maturation and risk-reduction contract, and three full engine tests,” said Tony Mathis, president and CEO of GE Aviation’s military business.&nbsp;“We’re ready to execute on this contract and deliver the improved capabilities of the T901 to the warfighter.”

 


However, while praising the thoroughness of the GAO review, ATEC claimed that it is still not satisfied with the selection process.

 


“The GAO findings notwithstanding, a procurement this crucial should never be made based on paper proposals,” ATEC said.&nbsp;“Indeed, it is customary for the Pentagon to thoroughly test competing engines before making a final down select. Testing provides clear, unequivocal evidence of engine capabilities that cannot be obtained through a proposal.”

 


To this end, ATEC has called on Congress to provide funding to facilitate both engine types being taken through to the EMD phase of the program.

 


However, the Army designed the EMD contract to be sole-source with the intention that the contract should transition quickly into mass-production contracts, which would also be sole-source.

 


Some 6,000 ITEP engines will be needed for the initial part of the program, and FARA production could result in the production of several thousand more.

 


As a result, Mathis told AIN that GE estimates that ITEP could be worth as much as $20 billion over the program’s life, including production and aftermarket support.

 


ITEP calls for an engine that will provide 50 percent more power than the latest T700 models but will offer a 25 percent reduction in specific fuel consumption.&nbsp;A 65 percent improvement in the engine’s power-to-weight ratio over the T700 is also required, a 20 percent increase in design life, and a 35 percent reduction in overall production and maintenance costs.

 


Both competitors say their ITEP engine designs meet those targets.

News and developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

GAO Upholds GE ITEP Contract Award Following Protest

As GE Aviation readies development of its T901 ITEP turboshaft engine, competitor ATEC is lobbying Congress to award dual EMD contracts.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Sarah Rose

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

"Supply chain is affecting a lot of things right now."

Engines Leaders Rev Up for 2025

Charles Alcock

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

Chinese eVTOL aircraft manufacturer has also made its first passenger demonstration flights in Thailand

EHang Seeks Higher-performance eVTOL Electric Propulsion Systems

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

Issues regarding financing of aircraft; aviation insurance; tax issues for aircraft operators; new companies and people in the aviation financing and insurance industries.

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

Trading update reports strong demand in the commercial airliner engines sector

Rolls-Royce Confirms Closure of Electric Propulsion Unit

News and developments about aviation fuel, including jet fuel, aviation gasoline, and biofuel.

RTX company Pratt & Whitney Canada is part of the government-backed INSAT program

Hydrogen Combustion Test To Start on PW127XT Turboprop Engine

Companies signed a new memorandum of understanding to expand their collaboration

ZeroAvia and PowerCell Agree To Scale Up Fuel Cell Partnership

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

More In Engines

Engines Leaders Rev Up for 2025

"Supply chain is affecting a lot of things right now."

EHang Seeks Higher-performance eVTOL Electric Propulsion Systems

Chinese eVTOL aircraft manufacturer has also made its first passenger demonstration flights in Thailand

Rolls-Royce Confirms Closure of Electric Propulsion Unit

Trading update reports strong demand in the commercial airliner engines sector

Hydrogen Combustion Test To Start on PW127XT Turboprop Engine

RTX company Pratt & Whitney Canada is part of the government-backed INSAT program

ZeroAvia and PowerCell Agree To Scale Up Fuel Cell Partnership

Companies signed a new memorandum of understanding to expand their collaboration

Rolls-Royce Expands Capacity and Predictability in Engine Support

A new hangar in Indianapolis and better access to engine data are boosting the CorporateCare program

Honeywell Ensemble Offers Real-time Engine Monitoring

The solution provides automated data reporting for business jet turbofan engines

Skydiving Operator Commits to Electric Caravan Aircraft

Norway's Skydive Voss, Dovetail Electric Aviation and Scandinavian Seaplanes will conduct flight tests

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN