GE Aviation on a roll, Joyce says

PARIS - “Military is where the commercial business was 10 years ago,” said GE Aviation President and GE Vice President David Joyce. With commercial now set after a decade of renewals, and the emergence of the Catalyst turboprop engine, hundreds of engineers and research and development resources are being tasked with creating future generations of military power plants. Since the commercial side proved that new materials such as ceramic matrix composites and technologies such as additive manufacturing are viable, the military has the confidence to lead the march into new territory, he said. Commercial engine technologies have enabled new military capabilities, and in turn, military R&D will enable newer commercial engines decades into the future. ”It’s a virtuous cycle, Joyce explained. GE won the Army’s contract to replace all T700 engines in Black Hawk and Apache helicopters with the ultra-fuel-efficient single-shaft ITEP (Improved Turbine Engine Program) next-gen helicopter engine, and it won contracts worth a billions to develop its Adaptive Engine Technology Development’s three-stream fighter engine, and demonstrating it on the ground in an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Flight tests may follow, and could lead to an eventual re-engining of the F-35 fleet. But, GE will be ready with an engine for sixth-generation fighters. Business is growing “at really good rates” on both manned and unmanned “black” programs, said Joyce. He believes GE already has the enabling technologies. “Additive manufacturing may be the most disruptive technology that I’ve seen in the industry in a long time,” he said, but the company is “jumping in with both feet because … when you get it right (the results) are extraordinary.” (Source: Aviation Week 06/16/19) Golden Triangle Note: GE Aviation, a global leader in jet engine and aircraft systems production, has two manufacturing facilities in Mississippi (Ellisville and Batesville) that produce advanced composite components for aircraft engines and systems. GEA and Praxair also have a combo-facility at Ellisville that specializes in advanced coatings that enable jet engines to withstand higher temperatures and stress.