The Advanced Turbine Engine Company (ATEC, a joint venture of Honeywell and Pratt & Whitney) drew a new U.S. Army contract to develop and demonstrate advanced engine capabilities for future vertical-lift combat helicopters. The contract is part of the Army's Alternate Concept Engine program, which is seeking significant improvements in future helicopters’ vertical lift, range, speed, payload, survivability, and reliability.
The program also seeks to reduce operational and life cycle costs, and the logistical footprint for both the engine and future combat helicopters.
The terms of the new contract were not announced.
ATEC reported it would demonstrate advanced variable speed turbine capabilities and other new technologies in a demonstrator engine test.
"We are excited to play such a significant role in meeting the needs of Army Aviation through our involvement in the ACE program," stated Craig Madden, president of ATEC.
"ACE gives us the opportunity to build on a very successful demonstration of our HPW3000 engine, and to add the variable speed turbine and other advanced features that are directly applicable to future vertical lift," he added.
"We are honored to have gained the confidence of the Army customer and to be entrusted with their next advanced demonstrator engine program."
The latest contract follows ATEC’s selection in August to propose and demonstrate an advanced 3,000-shaft horsepower turbine engine, as part of the Army’s Improved Turbine Engine project, which will develop a more powerful and fuel-efficient engine for the Army's fleet of UH-60 Black Hawk and AH-64 Apache helicopters.
