Photo: Bell
It was only in late October that we learned of helicopter maker Bell getting its hands on a brand engine called T901. Intended for use in the 360 Invictus attack helicopter, the engine has already been installed on the aircraft, we learned this week, putting the entire project one step closer to the first test flight.
The Invictus is one of the two helicopter projects chosen by the U.S. Army to compete in the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) program, an effort meant to bring to the world a replacement for the Bell OH-58 Kiowa attack reconnaissance helicopter that was retired about a decade ago.
The other one, the Sikorsky Raider, will be using the exact same powerplant when it too goes for the military contract later next year.
The turboshaft engine is made by General Electric, and it is expected to deliver 50 percent more power than the T700 variant deployed at the moment in Black Hawk and Apache helicopters.
Given how the powerplant is still in development (the Army is expected to clear the engine for duty in 2024) we're not told exactly how much power it can offer. For reference, though, we'll remind you the T700 can crank out at most 1,915 shaft horsepower.
So, expecting a power output of around 3,000 shaft horsepower in the FARA helicopters is not far-fetched. Despite the increased power levels, though, fuel consumption for the new unit is expected to drop by as much as 25 percent compared to the T700.
When announcing it had installed the engine of the Invictus, Bell also said its competitive prototype reached a 96 percent readiness level, just three years after the build of the helicopter began.
Before taking to the sky, though, several more steps need to be taken. First, a functionality testing of the Invictus must be completed, then something the company called "restrained ground runs," and finally a test readiness review. Bell does not say how long that will take, so it's impossible to put an exact date on the test flight.
As for what the competition plans, the Sikorsky Raider is in the process of being fitted with the T901 engine as well. The last update we got from the company spoke of the powerplant having been delivered for installation.
Aside from these two new helicopters, the new General Electric powerplant will also be deployed on the UH-60 Black Hawk and AH-64 Apache, replacing the existing power units.
As for the FARA program, it was initiated in 2018, and it seems it is now in its closing stages. The Army is expected to award the contract for the helicopter sometime in 2028, but at the rate things are moving that could come a tad sooner.
The other one, the Sikorsky Raider, will be using the exact same powerplant when it too goes for the military contract later next year.
The turboshaft engine is made by General Electric, and it is expected to deliver 50 percent more power than the T700 variant deployed at the moment in Black Hawk and Apache helicopters.
Given how the powerplant is still in development (the Army is expected to clear the engine for duty in 2024) we're not told exactly how much power it can offer. For reference, though, we'll remind you the T700 can crank out at most 1,915 shaft horsepower.
So, expecting a power output of around 3,000 shaft horsepower in the FARA helicopters is not far-fetched. Despite the increased power levels, though, fuel consumption for the new unit is expected to drop by as much as 25 percent compared to the T700.
When announcing it had installed the engine of the Invictus, Bell also said its competitive prototype reached a 96 percent readiness level, just three years after the build of the helicopter began.
Before taking to the sky, though, several more steps need to be taken. First, a functionality testing of the Invictus must be completed, then something the company called "restrained ground runs," and finally a test readiness review. Bell does not say how long that will take, so it's impossible to put an exact date on the test flight.
As for what the competition plans, the Sikorsky Raider is in the process of being fitted with the T901 engine as well. The last update we got from the company spoke of the powerplant having been delivered for installation.
Aside from these two new helicopters, the new General Electric powerplant will also be deployed on the UH-60 Black Hawk and AH-64 Apache, replacing the existing power units.
As for the FARA program, it was initiated in 2018, and it seems it is now in its closing stages. The Army is expected to award the contract for the helicopter sometime in 2028, but at the rate things are moving that could come a tad sooner.
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