The long running Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP) competition has come to a close with incumbent GE Aviation claiming victory over a Honeywell/Pratt & Whitney team. The Army selected GE Aviation as the winner of the ITEP competition awarding an initial $517 million contract to complete engineering and manufacturing development work on its T901-GE-900 engine.
The company beat a rival bid from a team of Honeywell and Pratt & Whitney, working as the Advanced Turbine Engine Company (ATEC). ATEC developed its HPW3000 engine for this effort.
This U.S. Army program sought a drop-in replacement engine for Boeing AH-64 Apaches and Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawks that would be smaller, cheaper, and more powerful. The US Army wants an engine that offers 50 percent more power, 25 percent lower fuel burn, and a 20 percent longer life. A 20-35 percent cut in maintenance and production costs is another target.
In addition to the re-engine requirements, the new engine will likely be utilized in the Future Vertical Lift program, which aims to develop a next generation reconnaissance helicopter.
GE has been the incumbent manufacturer of engines for the Apache and Blackhawk helicopters with its T700.
A military history enthusiast, Richard began at Forecast International as editor of the World Weapons Weekly newsletter. As the Internet grew in importance as a research tool, he helped design the company's Forecast Intelligence Center and currently coordinates the EMarket Alert newsletters for clients. Richard also manages social media efforts, including two new blogs: Defense & Security Monitor, covering defense systems and international issues, and Flight Plan, which focuses on commercial aviation and space systems. For over 30 years, Richard has authored the Defense & Aerospace Companies, Volume I (North America) and Volume II (International) services. The two books provide detailed data on major aerospace and defense contractors. He also edits the International Contractors service, a database that tracks all the contractors involved in the programs covered in the FI library. More recently he was appointed Manager, Information Services Group (ISG), a new unit that encompasses developing outbound content for both Forecast International and Military Periscope.
