Lockheed Martin company Sikorsky and Boeing have selected Honeywell to provide its new HTS7500 turboshaft engine for the Defiant X helicopter. The Defiant X advanced helicopter system is Sikorsky-Boeing’s entry for the U.S. Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) competition.
The U.S. Army initiated FLRAA program in 2019 to develop a new utility helicopter that will replace the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk starting in 2030.
According to Sikorsky and Boeing, the Defiant X will be the fastest, most maneuverable assault helicopter in history. It can fly twice as far and fast as the Black Hawk helicopter and is currently being tested in a digital combat environment, where it continues to prove its unmatched range and survivability.
The HTS7500 turboshaft engine is the latest and most technologically advanced model in Honeywell’s family of military engines. The HTS7500 is a highly reliable engine designed to thrive in austere environments and to perform to keep military personnel safer. It enhances the mission readiness and exceeds mission power and fuel consumption requirements.
The new engine comes equipped with a modernized control system, which enables a highly secure flow of engine data. The control system improves operating capabilities, reduces life-cycle costs, and ensures engine health status through its digital thread road map. The HTS7500 engine promises an increased power output by as much as 42% over the T55 while consuming up to 18% less fuel and promising a low maintenance cost.
“We’re committed to the U.S. Army’s focus on modernization and multidomain operations, and the selection of Honeywell’s latest engine technology for the Defiant X is proof of that commitment,” said Ricky Freeman, president, Defense, and Space, Honeywell Aerospace. “The HTS7500 checks all the right boxes for the Lockheed Martin Sikorsky-Boeing team and the Army, and we are excited to play a part in the future of vertical lift for our Army customer and Team Defiant.”
Sikorsky-Boeing submitted their proposal for the Defiant X in September 2021. Last month, Defiant X’s technology demonstrator SB-1 Defiant successfully completed mission profile test flights.
