General Electric Aviation, a subsidiary of General Electric, has been awarded a contract worth more than $101 million for the procurement of 21 T408-GE-400 turboshaft engines for a new heavy-lift helicopter from Sikorsky for the United States Marine Corps.
The deal, which was a modification to a previous contract, to continue manufacturing engines for the Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion helicopter.
“This modification procures 21 T408-GE-400 turboshaft engines and associated engine, programmatic and logistics services in support of CH-53K Lot Five low rate initial production aircraft,” said in the U.S. Department of Defense contract announcements.
Work will be performed in Lynn, Massachusetts, and is expected to be completed in December 2024.
The King Stallion is the premier heavy-lift helicopter ever built by the United States government. It is an all-new heavy-lift helicopter that will expand the fleet’s ability to move more material more rapidly. That power comes from three new General Electric T-408 engines, which are more powerful and more fuel efficient than the T-64 engines currently outfitted on the CH-53E.
GE Aviation says the T408 turboshaft engine offers cutting edge technology and the latest design innovations for maximum power at minimum cost.
The T408 gives the CH-53K helicopter the power to carry a 27,000-pound external load over a mission radius of 110 nautical miles in hot weather conditions, nearly triple the external load carrying capacity of current aircraft.
