FEBRUARY 5, 2025 – The United States Army’s Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP) team reached a major milestone in their mission to amplify the performance and capabilities of the Army’s helicopter fleet. On January 25, the ITEP team began ground run testing of a UH-60M Black Hawk equipped with cutting-edge GE Aerospace (GE) T901-GE-900 (T901) Improved Turbine Engines. A combined test team and along with U.S. Army and Sikorsky test pilots conducted the initial engine light off and ground runs. Working with Sikorsky, the original equipment manufacturer of the Black Hawk helicopter, the ITEP team began the first step in the integrated flight test program, which plays a crucial role in verifying the engine’s full integration and conducting system checkouts.
Successful ground runs will lead to a first flight in 2025.
A New Generation of Power and Efficiency
The T901 engine delivers 3,000-shaft horsepower (shp) while maintaining the same size and weight as its predecessor, the T700 engine. This innovative engine increases the Black Hawk’s combat capabilities, with improved range and loiter times, reduced fuel consumption, and a decreased logistical burden. Engineers designed the T901 with a modular design, additive manufacturing, ceramic matrix composites, and traditional components to generate a significant 1,000 shp increase in power. The Army also plans to replace the T700 with the T901 in the AH-64E Apache fleet.
Amplifying a Legacy of Excellence
The Army continues to invest in the Black Hawk platform to ensure it remains relevant for years to come. The Black Hawk has proven itself to be a vital tool in various military, tactical, and rescue operations worldwide. The T901 engine will extend the aircraft’s capabilities, launching a new era of performance and efficiency.
Collaboration and Partnership
The Aviation Turbines Engines Project Office worked closely with the Utility Helicopters Project Office and GE Aerospace to deliver two T901 engines to Sikorsky in June 2024. Sikorsky integrates the engines into the Black Hawk, which will undergo ground runs and flight testing. The ITEP office also collaborates with the Redstone Test Center (RTC) to provide experimental test pilots and flight test engineers for upcoming test events. This collaboration will ultimately lead to the qualification and fielding of T901-powered UH-60M Black Hawks to Army units worldwide.
The Path to Production
As the ITEP team conducts integration testing of the Improved Turbine Engine in the UH-60M Black Hawk, Preliminary Flight Rating (PFR) tests follow a parallel path. The Army requires these tests for formal qualification and cyber testing, which will inform the production decision on the engine, slated for 2029.
ITEP is part of the Aviation Turbine Engines Project Management Office (ATE PMO), responsible for centrally managing the Army’s rotary wing turbine engine and electrical power capability for U.S. Army Aviation and coalition partners. The ATE PMO is one of nine Program Executive Office, Aviation Project Offices located at Redstone Arsenal, AL.
Courtesy Story
Program Executive Office, Aviation