GE Aerospace has completed the next series of testing on its XA100 adaptive cycle engine.
Additional data from the fourth round of tests will help improve the design and manufacturing approaches for future adaptive cycle engines, including the Next Generational Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP).
“With the information gathered through our fourth round of testing, the future of military aviation is no longer theoretical – it is a reality,” GE Aerospace Defense and Systems President and CEO Amy Gowder said.
“Every additional terabyte of data we gather off this real-world engine puts GE Aerospace and our military in a better position to deliver cutting-edge aviation capabilities to the warfighter.”
Adaptive Cycle Engine
The adaptive cycle engine technology adds a third stream of airflow to the engine for greater fuel efficiency and thrust.
According to GE Aerospace, the adaptive cycle engines provide 30 percent greater range and more thermal management compared to the most advanced combat aircraft engines.
In development for more than 15 years, the XA100 is in contention for the F-35 Block 4 version along with Pratt and Whitney’s adaptive cycle engine XA101 and its proposed enhanced F135.
The F135 powers the current fleet of F-35s.
Next-Gen Adaptive Propulsion
The XA100 will be the basis of GE’s Next-Generation Adaptive Propulsion to power the US Air Force’s Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program.
GE is one of five contenders for the $4.9-billion NGAD contract, which further include Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and Pratt & Whitney.
