General Electric wraps up second XA100 engine test series
An airflow rendering of General Electric's XA100 adaptive cycle engine. (Photo: General Electric)
General Electric has announced the completion of a second XA100 adaptive cycle engine test phase in collaboration with the USAF.
The manufacturer said on 12 September that the conclusion of the tests at USAF's Arnold Engineering Development Complex also means that a final Adaptive Engine Transition Program (AETP) contract milestone has been met.
'We now stand ready to transition to an Engineering and Manufacturing Development program and bring this engine to the field with the F-35 before the end of this decade,' said David Tweedie, GE Edison Works’ VP and general manager for Advanced Products.
'This engine isn’t a concept, proposal, or research program. This is a flight-weight, highly product-relevant engine that would provide the F-35 with 30% more range, greater than 20% faster acceleration, and significant mission systems growth to harness the F-35’s full capabilities for Block 4 upgrades, and beyond.'
The XA100 stands to 'deliver a generational change in combat propulsion performance' due to three distinct innovations, according to General Electric.
Those being an adaptive engine cycle that provides a high-thrust mode for maximum power and a high-efficiency mode for optimum fuel savings; a third-stream architecture that provides a step-change in thermal management capability and extensive use of advanced component technologies, including ceramic matrix composites, polymer matrix composites and additive manufacturing.
'These revolutionary innovations increase thrust more than 10%, improve fuel efficiency by 25%, and provide significantly more aircraft heat dissipation capacity, all within the same physical envelope as current propulsion systems,' added General Electric.
The manufacturer faces competition from Pratt and Whitney's XA101 to supply USAF with an alternative engine to the F135.
More from Defence Notes
-
Irish defence review highlights importance of Capability Development Unit and looks to new threats
Ireland has a small defence force in terms of personnel, equipment and budget relative to international averages but is plotting a way to change this and a recent annual review analyses that progress.
-
How Chinese and Russian ambitions are forcing US posture in the Arctic to shift
The recently released 2024 DoD Arctic Strategy established lines of action to improve US extreme cold-weather capabilities against perceived threats from China and Russia throughout the region.
-
UK orders more Martlet missiles and plays down defence review delay fears
The UK’s Strategic Defence Review has been initiated by the new Labour Government following 14 years of Conservative Party-led governments.
-
Turning the Hiroshima Accord into Action: Enhancing UK-Japan Defence Collaboration (Studio)
The UK-Japan strategic partnership leverages joint defence initiatives, advanced technologies, and SME integration to enhance military capabilities, foster innovation, and ensure regional and global stability through collective action and effective project management.
-
NATO countries outline strategies to accelerate defence industrial production
During the Washington Summit, member states also agreed to improve manufacturing capacities across the alliance and continue investing in joint projects with Ukraine.
-
Why the US military needs an “innovation intervention”
Several issues in the Pentagon’s structure and the defence industrial base have been hampering the country's efforts to produce cutting-edge solutions.