The T55-GA-714A engine will power UK Chinooks. (Photo: Honeywell)
Honeywell on 11 October announced that it has signed an FMS contract to supply 34 T55-GA-714A engines to power the fleet of H-47 Extended Range Chinook heavy-lift helicopters on order from the UK MoD.
The T55-GA-714A engine produces up to 5,000shp to deliver a top speed of up to 170kt for the H-47ER. Market consultancy Forecast International describes a unit cost of $1.06 million for the powerplant.
The DoD announced in June 2021 that Boeing was awarded a $508 million contract to provide the UK with 14 H-47ER heavy transport helicopters.
This modification exercises an option that was awarded on an existing delivery order, according to the US contract announcement under the Special Operations Command section.
The total procurement cost for 14 helicopters is estimated to be around $378 million.
Honeywell is continuing to develop new variants of the T55 family with work on the T55-GA-714C and HTS7500 engines. The former develops 6,000shp while consuming 8% less fuel than the current T55, the company claims.
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