GE Aerospace Completes Next Series of Testing to Optimize Adaptive Engine for Future Combat Fighters

GE Aerospace (NYSE: GE) announced today that it has completed the next series of testing on its XA100 adaptive cycle engine to gather additional data and advance this next-generation technology for future combat aircraft. Adaptive cycle engines are critical to ensure U.S. combat aircraft maintain their superiority by providing 30 percent greater range and significantly more thermal management compared to today’s most advanced combat engine.

“With the information gathered through our fourth round of testing, the future of military aviation is no longer theoretical – it is a reality,” said Amy Gowder, president and CEO, GE Aerospace Defense and Systems. “Every additional terabyte of data we gather off this real-world engine puts GE Aerospace and our military in a better position to deliver cutting-edge aviation capabilities to the warfighter.”

The testing of the engine provides further understanding of critical components that can be used to improve the design and manufacturing approaches for future production of adaptive cycle engines. Data from this new round of testing, coupled with data from prior rounds, will directly inform and benefit the Next Generational Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP) effort underway by the U.S. Air force.  

As part of NGAP, GE Aerospace has a second adaptive engine in development, the XA102, which completed a major design review in December. The XA102 will now continue toward a prototype engine test. The combination of digital design and learnings from GE Aerospace’s first adaptive cycle engine will allow XA102 to deliver the required propulsion performance key to enabling future air dominance capabilities.

GE Aerospace has logged hundreds of hours of rigorous, system-level performance and operability testing, far exceeding the required baseline testing. GE Aerospace has the empirical knowledge of adaptive cycle engine architectures and the transformational capabilities they offer.  

Continued bipartisan support from both houses of Congress for the development and testing of adaptive cycle engines will ensure the military’s sixth generation fighter engine programs remain on schedule to deliver the performance needed to maintain U.S. air superiority. Today’s announcement builds on over a decade of work by hundreds of engineers in partnership with the U.S. Air Force to maximize Congress’ investment in this revolutionary capability.