Spanish NH90 helicopters to receive engine capable of flying with sustainable fuel

ITP Aero has announced it will deliver new GE T7 engines to the Spanish Armed Forces’ NH90 helicopters that were tested with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

The milestone is part of ITP Aero’s commitment to helping the decarbonisation of aviation.

Gen Coll, head of rotary-wing air systems at the Spanish General Directorate of Armaments and Material’s (DGAM) sub-directorate general for programmes, said at an event: ‘The fact that ITP Aero can carry out bench tests on the engines that will be installed in our NH90 helicopters using SAF fuel is undoubtedly a very important first step towards standardising the use of this type of fuel in our aircraft engines.’

Gen Gómez Blanco, deputy director of fighters at the Spanish Logistic Support Command (MALOG), added: ‘The use of SAF is the most solid option to boost the decarbonisation of the aeronautical sector in the short term.

‘The trials announced today by ITP are a significant boost to the engineering activities that will consolidate the use of these fuels in armed forces helicopters. These activities are fully in line with the tests being carried out by the Spanish Air and Space Forces in collaboration with the most important Spanish companies in the sector, including ITP, of course.’

ITP Aero is no stranger to programmes addressing sustainability.

The company is part of the Air and Space Force’s BACSI (Connected, Sustainable and Intelligent Air Base) programme with the aim of increasing the effectiveness, productivity, efficiency and sustainability of bases.

As part of this project, the Patrulla Aguila aerobatic team flew for the first time with SAF during the 2023 Columbus Day air display.

ITP Aero designed an instrumentation system to help validate the use of SAF in the engines that power the team’s C-101 aircraft. The technology developed by ITP Aero was able to automatically measure the temperature of the engine gases, helping to validate their proper operation with SAF.

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