The U.S. Army has awarded GE Aviation an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract for the continued production of T700 turboshaft engines in support of Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and other government agency program requirements through 2024.
The production contract is valued at more than US$1 billion for as many as 1,700 T700 engines if completely exercised. These engines are manufactured and shipped from GE Aviation’s facility in Lynn, Mass.
Developed for the U.S. Army to overcome the many shortcomings 1960s-era helicopter engines experienced in Southeast Asia, the T700/CT7 turboshaft was designed to operate reliably in any environment and be easily maintained. Upon service entry in 1978 in the Black Hawk, the engine quickly proved its mettle in helicopter service, and its operational benefits also made it an ideal derivative as a turboprop powerplant.
Today, the T700/CT7 family of turboshaft and turboprop engines power 15 types of helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft with more than 130 customers in more than 50 countries. The T700/CT7 family has surpassed 20,000 units delivered and more than 100 million total flight hours.