Defence

The US Army has awarded a $108 million contract to a joint venture between Honeywell and Pratt & Whitney to develop the companies’ HPW3000 next-generation turboshaft engine.

Under the contract, the Advanced Turbine Engine Company (ATEC) will build a technology demonstrator as part of the Army’s Advanced Affordable Turbine Engine (AATE) program. The objective is to produce a 3,000 SHP (2,250kW)-class turboshaft engine designed as a drop-in replacement for the General Electric T700 engine used in the UH-60 Black Hawk and AH-64 Apache helicopters.
Goals for the AATE include a 65% improvement in shaft horsepower / weight ratio and a 25% improvement in specific fuel consumption over the T700. GE is already under contract to demonstrate an improved version of its engine.

Demonstrators are expected to be completed in the 2012-2013 timeframe. Honeywell and Pratt & Whitney launched the ATEC initiative at the Paris Air Show last year.

©US Army