Ankara intends to replace its aging fleet of Northrop Grumman T-38 jet trainers and F-5 light jets with the Hurjet, originally designed as a jet trainer.

“We look forward to further deepening our defense partnership with Turkey, a key NATO ally,” Bloomberg quoted an official from the US Embassy in Ankara as saying.

The Hurjet

The in-development aircraft is fitted with modern avionics, air-to-ground missiles, and guided munitions.

It features a service ceiling of 45,000 feet (13,716 meters) and a maximum speed of Mach 1.2.

The single-engine, tandem-seat aircraft has a payload capacity of around three tons (3,000 kilograms/6,614 pounds).

F101 Engine

Additionally, Turkey is seeking GE Aerospace F110 engines for its fifth-generation Kaan fighter jet project.

Both engines are considered to be interim solutions, expected to be replaced with domestic versions at a later stage.

Turkey’s relations deteriorated with the US after it purchased the Russian S-400 air defense system in 2019.

However, relations have started to improve after Ankara ratified Sweden’s NATO membership bid earlier this year.

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The agreement with Boeing is worth 400 million zlotys ($102 million), covering maintenance support and training, according to Reuters.

Meanwhile, the 530-million-zloty ($135 million) agreement with GE is in support of maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) facilities for the T700/CT7 engines, powering the Apaches and other Polish military helicopters.

“The Polish Army is about to acquire these helicopters, which will really strengthen our readiness, our security in the face of what is happening beyond the borders of the Republic of Poland, I mean the war in Ukraine,” Reuters quoted Deputy Defense Minister Pawel Bejda as saying.

Collaboration With Local Firms 

Polish aerospace firm Military Aviation Works (Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze NR 1 S.A. or WZL-1) will provide the MRO services under agreement with GE in Deblin.

The Military University of Technology in Warsaw (Wojskowa Akademia Techniczna or WAT) will manage training, including engine training and training to prepare future engineering staff for the Polish Armed Forces.

The agreement will provide high-value local jobs and help enrich the Polish defense industrial base with new areas of engine MRO technology, training, and technical assistance.

“These collaborations with WZL-1 and WAT will be the key to ensuring Poland has the right capabilities and resources to support Poland’s growing fleet of GE Aerospace’s T700/CT7 engines,” VP of Global Sales & Business Development at GE Aerospace Rita Flaherty said.

“Both partners perfectly complement the Polish Armed Forces’ requirement for in-country capabilities, and GE Aerospace looks forward to working with these Polish companies as they support the T700/CT7 family of engines.”

Warsaw’s Helicopter Buying Spree

The US State Department approved Poland’s purchase request for the Boeing helicopters in August 2023. 

Warsaw intends to replace its Soviet-era military helicopter fleet with the Apache in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The country is also borrowing eight Apaches from the US, with delivery expected from 2024.

Additionally, Poland is negotiating the purchase of around 32 S-70i Black Hawk helicopters from the US, after acquiring 32 AgustaWestland AW149 helicopters for $1.83 billion in 2022.

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Developed in partnership with GE Aerospace, the GEK800 can reportedly generate up to 3,000 pounds (1,360 kilograms) of thrust, making it “ideally suited” for cruise missiles.

The two companies said it could still be scaled up to meet the requirements of the CCA program.

“It is a scalable architecture,” GE Aerospace President Amy Gowder said. “As we see the requirements firm up, we’ll decide how high to scale or not. Certainly, there’s a lot of requirements that have not been disclosed on CCA due to the classified nature.”

Kratos disclosed that additional GEK800 development efforts are now complete and the engine is undergoing a series of tests.

Low-Cost Solution

Though the exact price was not disclosed, Gowder claimed that the product will address defense customers’ growing interest in low-cost engine solutions to meet their evolving mission requirements.

It could help meet global demands, as the GEK800 can also power drones and loitering munitions, which are relevant in modern warfare.

Kratos CEO Eric DeMarco said the engine is “just about ready to go” and they have already communicated with potential customers.

“We understand what the first platforms will be, what the first systems will be, and we understand the competitive landscape from pricing and performance,” he said.

The engine is slated for altitude testing next year.

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The first of five NGRC concept studies analyzed several solutions for the future medium-lift rotorcraft, including advanced gas turbines, hybrid electric systems, hydrogen fuel cells, and hydrogen combustion engines.

Multiple combinations of engines and airframe configurations were explored by the team, which included the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), to evaluate performance for NATO missions.

“The analysis included comprehensive assessments of unit costs, operational costs, total life cycle costs, speed, payload, and range, ensuring alignment with NATO’s objectives,” GE stated.

‘Valuable Insights’ 

The NSPA awarded GE the powerplant study contract in December 2023, with work performed by its Defense & Systems organization and Avio Aero.

“We are proud to support NATO NSPA in this groundbreaking initiative,” director of turboshaft advanced programs at GE Aerospace John Martin said.

“Our study provides valuable insights into the capabilities of various power plant options, bringing us closer to realizing the future of NATO’s next-generation, multi-capable helicopter.”

Five Concept Studies

The study will inform NGRC partner nations as they move forward with the program.

Three of the five NGRC concept studies are open to the industry, namely the novel powerplant study, open systems architecture study, and the integrated platform study: aircraft’s paper designs.

Lockheed has been awarded the open systems architecture, while the integrated platform study contract is yet to be awarded.

The remaining two studies are not open to the industry.

Next-Gen Rotorcraft Capability

France, Germany, Greece, Italy, and the UK launched the NGRC project in 2020.

It is intended to replace the current fleet of medium-lift helicopters as they reach their end of life cycle from 2035 to 2040 and beyond.

Around 900 medium-lift helicopters are expected to be retired during that time.

Expected Features

The future craft’s expected features include a weight range of 10 to 17 tons and the capability to team with unmanned platforms.

It should carry its own weapons and cost no more than 35 million euros ($38.2 million), with a cost-per-flight hour no greater than 10,000 euros ($10,920).

The aircraft’s availability rate should be above 75 percent, and it should be able to fly unrefueled for up to 1,650 kilometers (1,025 miles).

The optimal cruise speed is 220 knots (253 miles/407 kilometers per hour), with the ability to accommodate up to 16 fully equipped troops.

Its lifting capacity should also be over 4,000 kilograms (8,800 pounds).

The post GE Aerospace Completes NATO Next-Gen Rotorcraft Powerplant Study appeared first on The Defense Post.

The engine demonstrated a threefold increase in airflow compared to previous hypersonic demonstrators, the company said.

Testing began at an Evendale, Ohio, testing facility in March, just 11 months after the launch of design efforts.

“The rapid progression from design to testing underscores our commitment to driving innovation in hypersonic technologies,” GE Aerospace President and CEO of Defense & Systems Amy Gowder said.

“This milestone not only shows the exceptional talent and dedication of our team but also reaffirms our position as a leader in the pursuit of hypersonic flight.”

Innoveering — a company that specializes in hypersonic propulsion acquired by GE in 2022 — and GE Aerospace’s Research Center collaborated on the effort, led by GE Aerospace’s team of engineers.

Rotating Detonation Combustion

GE explained last year that it utilizes rotating detonation combustion for the dual-mode ramjet engine.

The technology enables a dual-mode ramjet engine to operate at lower than Mach 3, unlike typical air-breathing dual-mode ramjet propulsion, enabling greater range and efficiency.

Compared to traditional combustion technology, detonation is faster and less predictable, generating greater energy from significantly less fuel.

“[Rotating detonation combustion] enables higher thrust generation more efficiently, at an overall smaller engine size and weight, by combusting the fuel through detonation waves instead of a standard combustion system that powers traditional jet engines today,” GE explained.

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Additional data from the fourth round of tests will help improve the design and manufacturing approaches for future adaptive cycle engines, including the Next Generational Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP).

“With the information gathered through our fourth round of testing, the future of military aviation is no longer theoretical – it is a reality,” GE Aerospace Defense and Systems President and CEO Amy Gowder said.

“Every additional terabyte of data we gather off this real-world engine puts GE Aerospace and our military in a better position to deliver cutting-edge aviation capabilities to the warfighter.” 

Adaptive Cycle Engine

The adaptive cycle engine technology adds a third stream of airflow to the engine for greater fuel efficiency and thrust.

According to GE Aerospace, the adaptive cycle engines provide 30 percent greater range and more thermal management compared to the most advanced combat aircraft engines.

In development for more than 15 years, the XA100 is in contention for the F-35 Block 4 version along with Pratt and Whitney’s adaptive cycle engine XA101 and its proposed enhanced F135.

The F135 powers the current fleet of F-35s.

Next-Gen Adaptive Propulsion

The XA100 will be the basis of GE’s Next-Generation Adaptive Propulsion to power the US Air Force’s Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program.

GE is one of five contenders for the $4.9-billion NGAD contract, which further include Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and Pratt & Whitney.

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