Air Force Set to Launch Next Generation Engine Program

Air Force leaders say the service is preparing to launch a $1 billion new-start next-generation jet engine development program to be detailed in the upcoming fiscal year 2015 budget proposal.

“What we’re looking at is adaptive engine technology. We think this is a big area for us to move into,” Ricky Peters, executive director, Air Force Research Laboratory told an audience Feb. 26 at the Bloomberg Government Defense Summit, Washington D.C.

The roughly $1 billion in funding will span a five year period which will focus on developing, validating and demonstrating new engine technologies which increase speed, thrust and power while also improving fuel efficiency.

The service’s current program, Adaptive Versatile Engine Technology, or ADVENT, advances a similar concept regarding what Peters referred to as adaptive engine technology.

The effort is aimed at not only achieving far greater speeds in flight but combining that technology with fuel efficiency improvements and other performance enhancements.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel mentioned the new Air Force engine program in his Feb. 24 comments on the upcoming 2015 budget release.

“We recommended investing one billion dollars in a promising next-generation jet engine technology which we expect to produce sizeable cost savings and reduce fuel consumption,” Hagel said.

Hagel said the new engine technology program will also lower maintenance costs for aircraft and help preserve the industrial base.

February 26th, 2014 | Air | 46 Comments