FlightGlobal
• Ryan Finnerty
GE Aerospace’s T901 Improved Turbine Engine has achieved a preliminary flight rating as it advances through the Army’s Improved Turbine Engine Program. Designed to replace the T700 turboshaft, the engine will power UH-60M Black Hawk and AH-64E Apache helicopters, supporting greater reach and payload with lower fuel consumption.
Military Aircraft Procurement
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GE Aerospace’s T901 Improved Turbine Engine has achieved a preliminary flight rating as it advances through the Army’s Improved Turbine Engine Program. Designed to replace the T700 turboshaft, the engine will power UH-60M Black Hawk and AH-64E Apache helicopters, supporting greater reach and payload with lower fuel consumption.
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India’s Ministry of Defence has issued an RFP for at least 60 Medium Transport Aircraft to replace the Indian Air Force’s aging Soviet-era An-32 fleet. Embraer, Lockheed Martin and Airbus are expected to compete, with the tender requiring 60% local manufacturing through partnerships with Indian firms.
Korea Aerospace Industries and Hyundai Rotem signed an MOU to jointly develop and integrate a long-range air-to-air missile for South Korea’s KF-21 fighter. The companies will also explore exporting combined aircraft-and-weapons packages, linking the fighter’s market prospects to a domestically developed missile capability.
Northrop Grumman has opened a new Florida facility focused on engineering and manufacturing work for a sixth-generation aircraft. The site expands the defense contractor’s infrastructure for designing and producing next-generation military aircraft, although the company did not disclose the program’s specific identity or production timeline.
A Turkish Air Force F-16 crashed Wednesday during a routine training flight in Yalova province, northwest of Istanbul, according to Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defence. The pilot ejected and survived, while an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident.
Sweden’s air force is preparing to rearm Saab Gripen fighters in less than 10 minutes, underscoring the operating concept and rapid-response requirements facing NATO’s newest member. The accelerated turnaround objective could shape sortie generation, dispersed operations and support requirements for Sweden’s fighter fleet.
Latvia is assessing Embraer’s A-29 Super Tucano as a light combat aircraft for intercepting incoming unmanned aerial vehicles. The evaluation would give the Latvian Air Force a national armed fixed-wing capability, with the turboprop considered primarily for short-range counter-drone missions rather than its traditional light-attack role.
The U.S. Army awarded Collins Aerospace an engineering-services contract worth up to $472 million to support CH-47 Chinook avionics modernization, upgrades and sustainment. The award follows a separate $876 million Boeing contract for Block II Chinooks, taking Army investment in fleet modernization above $1 billion.
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