GE Aerospace has completed testing a further series of tests on its first XA100 variable cycle engine, which could be used by the F-35 and sixth generation fighter aircraft
The tests gathered additional data to advance the development of the engine, which the company says will provide 30% more range and improved thermal management for the next generation of US fighter jets.
Amy Gowder, president and CEO of GE Aerospace Defense and Systems said, “With the information gathered through our fourth round of testing, the future of military aviation is no longer theoretical – it is a reality,
“Every additional terabyte of data we gather off this engine puts GE Aerospace and our military in a better position to deliver cutting edge aviation capabilities to the warfighter.”
The company said that the testing of the engine provides further understanding of critical components that can be used to improve the design and manufacturing approaches for future production of adaptive cycle engines. Data from all of the testing will also directly inform and benefit the Next Generational Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP) effort underway by the US Air force.
As part of NGAP, GE Aerospace has a second adaptive engine in development, the XA102, which completed a major design review in December. The XA102 will now continue toward a prototype engine test.
GE Aerospace has been working on adaptive cycle engines for more than a decade. The design adjusts bypass ratio and fan pressure by directing air into a third bypass stream using a fan to increase fuel efficiency or thrust depending on the requirement.
