USAF, GE Aviation To Develop Aircraft Engine Technology

The U.S. Air Force and GE Aviation will negotiate a new contract develop jet engine technologies that will reduce fuel consumption and extend the range of future combat aircraft. Terms of the proposed contract were not disclosed. GE announced that the AETD program focuses on technologies it has been developing through another Air Force program that it was awarded in 2007. “The AETD contract is not for a production engine. Rather, it’s a technology demonstration program that has no announced fighter application”, GE spokesman Mat Benvie said. “The important thing for GE is that it restores a road map for a competitively awarded engine for a future-generation fighter”. GE competitors Rolls-Royce and Pratt & Whitney are hoping to be a part of the AETD program. Rolls-Royce was also awarded a contract under that engine development program, and Pratt has been working on a similar program on its own. GE and Rolls-Royce previously were developing an alternative engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, but the program was cancelled after a budget cut.