GE Moves Ahead with Next-gen Jet EnginesFebruary 24, 2012
Despite the cancellation of the alternate engine program last year, General Electric said it will absorb the cost of developing next-generation engines that will lead to fuel savings and other efficiencies in the commercial and military sectors, according to an article by Reuters. Even as the Pentagon cuts spending by nearly $500 billion over the next decade, GE said it sees the research involved in the alternate engine as yielding rewards, including a sixth-generation turbine engine, according to the article. "Our investment as a defense contractor actually has to increase at this point in the process because of the very limited dollars available for new platforms," Jean Lydon-Rodgers, vice president of military systems at GE Aviation, said at a news conference, according to Reuters. The company said that in addition to increasing its investment in developing new engine technology, it will hire more engineers in order to offer a new engine technology by 2020. Already, GE plans to test a next-gen jet engine for the Pentagon — called the Adaptive Versatile Engine Technology — this June. The engine will fly jets 30% farther and burn 25% less fuel than engines now available, according to the article. |
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