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By Michael Sirak
The Air Force earlier this week took the next step toward maturing the technologies that will enable a new breed of high- performance variable-cycle engines for combat aircraft by awarding General Electric [GE] and Rolls-Royce multi-million-dollar developmental contracts.
The two engine companies beat out rival Pratt & Whitney [UTX] for this Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)-sponsored work, which is occurring under the rubric of the Adaptive Versatile Engine Technology (ADVENT) program. ADVENT's goals are to develop inlet, engine, and exhaust technologies that optimize propulsion system performance over a broad range of altitude and speed.
For example, such technologies in the engine of a future strike aircraft would allow the platform to cruise or loiter at more fuel- efficient subsonic speeds when not engaged in an attack, but then switch easily to a high-thrust, but less efficient supersonic dash during a bombing run, Air Force officials have said.
"I describe it as putting intelligence inside an engine to allow you to set policy and let the engine manage itself," Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne, said during a discussion of ADVENT with industry in March at which Defense Daily was present.
The new engines will be designed to use adaptive fans and cores to generate high thrust when needed, and optimize fuel efficiency when cruising or loitering, the AFRL has said.
"ADVENT offers adaptive engine airflow and cycle for optimized performance at all flight conditions," Matthew Meininger, ADVENT program manager within AFRL,...