LE BOURGET -- General Electric Company (GE) is committed to expanding and enhancing its turboshaft engine family to ensure helicopter customers around the world experience the performance, reliability and durability they need -- both today and tomorrow.
A prime example is GE 's new GE38-1B engine elected by Sikorsky Aircraft to power the U.S. Marine Corps' three-engine CH-53K heavy-lift helicopter in December 2006.
The GE38-1B engine incorporates a similar architecture to the T700, with proven technologies derived from GE's commercial and military engine product lines. Designed to military specification for extreme environments, it will offer significant advances such as 57 percent more power, 18 percent lower specific fuel consumption and 60 percent fewer parts than its T64 predecessor.
"GE has invested aggressively in substantial technology advancements for future helicopter applications," said Russell F. Sparks, president and CEO of the military systems operation at GE. "The result is the ability to offer a GE engine based on proven, military and commercial experience. We are pleased with Sikorsky's and Marine Corps vote of confidence in the GE38-1B."
The GE38 engine is highly resistant to sand erosion, salt-water corrosion and offers stall-free operation in all conditions - features ideal to withstand the Marine Corps' tough operating environments.
Another new GE engine application is the Korean Helicopter Program (KHP). GE and Samsung Techwin, Co. LTD (STW) signed a contract recently to develop the T700/701K turboshaft engine to power 245 new indigenous helicopters.
The 701K is the first rear-drive variant of the T700 engine, enabling easy installation into the KHP helicopter while providing opportunities to power other rear-drive applications. A modified derivative of the T700/701D (1,900 shaft horsepower class), the 701K is designed to provide power for hot-high requirements and also offers substantial growth margin to meet emerging Korean mission needs.
Following selection of the CT7-8E as powerplant for the VH-71 helicopter in 2005, GE has now shipped 14 engines to support the flight-test program for the next-generation "Marine One" helicopter that will be used by the President of the United States. In addition, GE will ship 18 additional production engines by yearend. The first VH-71 is scheduled to be operational during the fourth quarter of 2009.
Three 2,500 shaft-horsepower CT7-8E engines will power each helicopter. The CT7-8E engine combines proven technology and performance with advanced design, technologies and adaptability that make it ideally suited for this helicopter application.
In addition, a new U.S. Army contract ensures the continuation of a fleet-wide T700 helicopter engine upgrade program that could ultimately involve more than 5,000 engines for Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk and Boeing AH-64 Apache.
An Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM) agreement involves upgrading T700 engines to the more-advanced T700-701D configuration. The work is being performed at Corpus Christi Army Depot (CCAD). The -701D features improved hot-section components that provide twice the hot section durability, lower life-cycle costs, and 5% more power than the current T700-701C engine.
Following Department of Defense approval of funds, GE Aviation is working with Sikorsky Helicopter and the U.S. Army to implement an advanced FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control) System on engines for the UH-60M Upgrade Black Hawk helicopters.
This new FADEC uses state-of the-art electronics that will allow for better aircraft handling. The system will be mounted on the engine instead of the current commercial aircraft placement where the FADEC is located inside the helicopter. The T700-GE-701D engine with FADEC System installed is called the T700-GE-701E. The FADEC ran a successful First Engine To Test (FETT) this spring.
The number of T700/CT7 customers and new applications continues to grow. The T700 engine and its civil counterpart, the CT7, have amassed more than 50 million flight-hours powering 21 different aircraft models in service throughout the world.
GE Aviation, an operating unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), is one of the world's leading manufacturers of jet engines for civil and military aircraft. GE also is a global provider of maintenance and support services for operators of GE jet engines.