GE Aerospace and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. have been jointly awarded a contract of $12.4 million by the United States Air Force for the development of a new generation jet engine for small Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), and other defense-related applications.
The award of the contract is a significant milestone in the development of aerospace propulsion systems as the team begins the preliminary design phase of the GEK1500 engine, which is expected to deliver a thrust of 1,500 pounds. This development is based on the success of the GEK800 engine program and the intention to translate this success into the next generation of engines.
This collaboration and contract award are in the backdrop of growing demand from the defense and commercial aerospace industry for high-performance and cost-effective engines, which is a major driver of competitiveness and innovation in the Aerospace industry. (See Aerospace and the industry under Aerospace.)
What the GEK1500 Program Is All About
During the initial phase of the contract, GE Aerospace and Kratos will finish the preliminary design of the GEK1500 engine, meeting the requirements of performance, power output, life cycle cost, and manufacturability. The engine is based on the established architecture of the GEK800 cruise missile engine, which has already proven key areas such as range, thrust, life cycle cost, and electrical power output.
The GEK1500 is designed for small, expendable or semi-expendable aircraft like CCAs, which are quickly finding their way into the future of military aviation and unmanned systems due to their potential for scalable deployment and cost-effectiveness. The Department of the Air Force has identified a strategic need for high-performance, low-cost propulsion technology of this type in support of new operational concepts and the future battlefield.
Both companies have extensive experience that will be brought to the project: Kratos has decades of experience in small jet engines for unmanned aircraft, while GE Aerospace has over a century of experience in propulsion design and production. The group is poised to take the engine from conceptual design to later stages of development, such as risk reduction, characterization, and possibly flight testing.
Why This Matters to the Aerospace Industry
The award illustrates several broader trends reshaping the Aerospace industry – particularly in propulsion technology and defense aviation:
1. Innovation Focused on Cost-Effective Performance
However, the strategists of the defense are now seeking a balance between cost performance and peak performance. The GEK1500 program is specifically designed to meet difficult performance criteria while maintaining an aggressive cost strategy, which will enable the U.S. Air Force to use more aircraft on a large scale rather than a few high-cost aircraft. This emphasis on cost performance is in sync with the trend of doing more with less.
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2. Growth of Unmanned and Collaborative Combat Platforms
Small CCAs and UAS are a part of the larger trend in aviation design that is moving towards networked, autonomous, or semi-autonomous systems that can be used in conjunction with manned aircraft or alone. Such systems need propulsion systems that are lightweight, scalable, manufacturable, and accessible, which is what the GEK1500 engine aims to provide. The Air Force’s interest in such engines is a part of the larger trend of airpower concepts becoming increasingly reliant on a mixed fleet of collaborative vehicles rather than just manned aircraft.
3. Partnering Across the Aerospace Supply Chain
This contract also illustrates the importance of strategic alliances between the major players in the aerospace industry, such as GE Aerospace, and niche players such as Kratos. By combining the solid roots of mature propulsion technologies with the nimble engine development expertise of firms such as Kratos, the aerospace industry can pursue innovation at an accelerated pace and share the risks and costs. (Previous teaming arrangements between the two companies formed the basis for this contract and suggest a trend in the industry towards flexible partnerships for R&D collaborations.)
Business and Industry Impacts
Aerospace Manufacturers
For engine producers and aircraft original equipment manufacturers, the GEK1500 development project is an indicator of the demand for the next generation of propulsion systems that must meet performance requirements while being cost-effective and scalable. If successful, the technologies developed from this contract could have an impact on future engine designs for both military and commercial applications.
Defense Contractors and Subcontractors
Companies that work on engines, aircraft, or unmanned systems may find new opportunities as programs of this type move forward. Subcontractors who work on components, additive manufacturing, test infrastructure, or systems integration may find new opportunities as a result of increased activity. Working closely with primes such as GE Aerospace and Kratos helps to improve capabilities in the aerospace manufacturing ecosystem.
Aerospace Supply Chain and Jobs
The development of engine technology programs may result in the expansion of production lines, testing facilities, and the need for a skilled workforce. If the program continues to the next stages of development, beyond the preliminary design phase, into production and testing, aerospace hubs in the region may experience increased activity.
Innovation Spillovers and Dual-Use Benefits
Innovations in propulsion systems developed for defense applications can be applied to dual-use technologies in the aerospace industry, including space launch vehicles, turbomachinery, and autonomous aircraft. Best practices developed in defense applications for efficient design and optimization can be applied to the aerospace industry.
Conclusion
GE Aerospace and Kratos GEK1500 engine development program, which illustrates the importance of propulsion systems in the future of aviation, whether it is cooperative combat aircraft, unmanned aircraft, or even possibly civilian use. As the aerospace community continues to move forward in the areas of autonomy, affordability, and distributed capabilities, the GEK1500 engine and others like it are an important part of this new world of aircraft development.
With the aerospace industry facing the challenges of new mission sets and shrinking budgets, collaborative programs that leverage innovative engineering, cost-effective approaches, and partnerships may hold the key to future success, not only in the defense industry but in the wider aerospace innovation community.