Honeywell’s new HTS7500 turboshaft engine has been selected to power the coaxial/compound rotor Lockheed Martin Sikorsky-Boeing Defiant X, one of two finalists in the U.S. Army's Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) competition. "This engine builds upon the battle-proven architecture of the T55 [that powers the Boeing H-47 Chinook], but the HTS7500 takes engine performance, reliability, and efficiency to a whole new level," said Honeywell Aerospace president of engines and power systems Dave Marinick.
"The engine is structurally similar, which is great for maintainers in the field because they can use current tools and training," he added. "However, when it comes to performance, the HTS7500 is 42 percent more powerful than the T55-GA-714A and has the lowest total weight compared to other engines in its horsepower class."
Honeywell said the new engine controls use a digital thread road map that enables a secure flow of engine data and improves operating capabilities, reduces life-cycle costs, and ensures engine health status.
FLRAA was initiated by the U.S. Army in 2019 to develop a new utility helicopter to replace the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawks starting in 2030. Defiant X is competing against the Bell V-280 Valor tiltrotor for the program. Bell is partnering with engine-maker Rolls-Royce, which is providing its AE1107 turboshaft for the V-280.