GE Aerospace announced the acceptance of two T901-GE-900 engines by the U.S. Army for the Improved Turbine Engine Program's UH-60 Black Hawk integration and testing. The next-generation rotorcraft engines were unboxed during a ceremony at Sikorsky's facility in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Today's announcement comes on the heels of the first ever ground run of an aircraft powered by a T901 engine. In April, a T901 engine successfully powered Sikorsky's Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) prototype, Raider X, gathering data to support the engine integration into the service's UH-60 Black Hawk and AH-64 Apache.
The T901 engine was built on GE Aerospace's unparalleled experience powering the Black Hawk and Apache for the past four decades with its combat-proven T700 engine, a run that has resulted in more than 100 million flight hours. The T901 was developed in response to a need from the U.S. Army for increased power and reduced fuel consumption.
The T901 design draws from an impressive stack of commercial technologies, including 3D-modeling, the use of ceramic matrix composites (CMCs), and 3D-printed (additive) parts. The use of CMCs and additive manufacturing enables the engine to produce more power with less weight.
Another notable design feature of the T901 is the engine's modular design, an aspect that was carried over from the T700. The modular design is one key to the T901's low cost, reliability, maintainability, and reduced life-cycle costs. Through the application of this proven modular architecture, the T901 can easily integrate with the Army's existing helicopters and sustainment philosophy while exceeding performance requirements.
