Engine supplier announced for Black Hawk helicopter replacement

Sikorsky and Boeing have announced the engine supplier of their contender for the US Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft competition, Defiant X, is Honeywell. 

The competition was initiated in 2019 to develop a new utility helicopter that will replace the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk starting in 2030.

Honeywell will supply Defiant X with the HTS7500 turboshaft engine, the newest and most technologically advanced model in Honeywell’s family of military engines, which includes the T55 engine that has powered the H-47 fleet for over 60 years.

Like the T55, the HTS7500 is a highly reliable engine designed to thrive in austere environments and to perform to keep military personnel safer. The engine enhances mission readiness and exceeds mission power and fuel consumption requirements.

“This engine builds upon the battle-proven architecture of the T55, but the HTS7500 takes engine performance, reliability and efficiency to a whole new level,” said Dave Marinick, president, engines and power systems, Honeywell Aerospace. “The engine is structurally similar, which is great for maintainers in the field because they can use current tools and training.

When it comes to performance, the HTS7500 is 42% more powerful than the T55-GA-714A and has the lowest total weight compared to other engines in its horsepower class.

Defiant X builds on the handling qualities and capabilities proven by the team’s technology demonstrator, SB-1 Defiant. Powered by a pair of HTS7500 engines, the helicopter can fly two times faster and farther than the Black Hawk and is currently being tested in a digital combat environment.

“Team Defiant’s strength is built on the experience of Sikorsky and Boeing, and a commitment to Army Aviation,” said Mark Cherry, vice president and general manager of Boeing Vertical Lift. “Honeywell’s history with Boeing and the US Army makes us even more confident that Defiant X is the best fit for the Army’s total mission.”

“Defiant X is a transformational aircraft, and Honeywell is giving us a transformational engine to power it,” said Paul Lemmo, president of Sikorsky. “Defiant X is optimised for operational effectiveness, sustainment and interoperability with the enduring fleet, and will transform the Army.”

Ricky Freeman, president, Defense & Space at Honeywell Aerospace, concluded: “We’re confident our HTS7500 engine on the Defiant X platform will provide the Army with an agile, fast and manoeuvrable platform that will help ensure overmatch capability in the future battlespace.”

Sikorsky-Boeing submitted the proposal for Defiant X for the US Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft in September last. Contract award is expected this year.

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