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NCH-47D T408 Engine

On 22 September 2020 the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center achieved its first flight of a Chinook with GE Aviation’s T408 engines, a milestone that could expand the capabilities of future Chinook heavy-lift missions. The combined team — which includes Parker LORD Corporation — continues to press forward with testing of the T408 Engine Integration program on a modified NCH-47D testbed aircraft. The US Army was not actively pursuing this re-engine effort for its own Chinooks.

Garrett Reim writing for Flight Global reported that GE’s T408 produces 7,500hp (5,600kW), which is about 56% more than the Honeywell T55 currently used on the CH-47. The T408 was developed for the US Marine Corps’ Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopter. The T408s requires an entirely new nacelle with a square shape rather than the circular design used with the Honeywell T55s on current Chinooks. The new nacelles also feature reinforcement bars between the nacelle and the helicopter tail structure.

Honeywell ess also developing a more powerful version of its T55 for the CH-47. This T55-GA-714C generates 6,000hp. The company announced a development agreement with the US Army in June 2020. While its turboshaft generates 25% less power than GE’s proposed engine, Honeywell claims the T55-GA-714C is more fuel efficient and would be easier to install because it does not require airframe changes.

The flight demonstration would identify and reduce cargo-class engine integration risks in support of potential future capability. The objectives are to evaluate engine integration and performance through a flight demonstration on an NCH-47D. Testing will characterize structural response, engine governing, thermal compatibility and limited handling qualities within the existing aircraft operating envelope. The outcome is to determine the feasibility and reduce risks of repowering the Chinook with a more technologically advanced turboshaft engine.

The first flight is the culmination of a five-year effort under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement between AvMC, Boeing and GE Aviation to evaluate the feasibility and benefits of higher-power engines while assessing and reducing the technical risks of integrating advanced engines in a Chinook aircraft.

This flight demonstration, which consisted of hover and pedal turn testing to assess multiple critical aircraft parameters supported by live telemetry, is part of a research project to show how the integration of more powerful engines on the CH-47 Chinook helicopter supports future cargo helicopter capability needs. It also supports the Army Future Vertical Lift modernization priority.

Despite travel restrictions posed by COVID-19 and social distancing measures while on post at Fort Eustis, the combined team — which also includes Parker LORD Corporation — was able to successfully and safely complete all required ground tests leading up to first flight.

“The CCDC AvMC mission is to conduct innovative research, development, and engineering in order to provide new capabilities for our aviation Warfighters, and the T408 program is a great example of this. Integrating a new engine onto a production aircraft is a huge undertaking, but our combined team did a great job moving the program from an engineering concept to flight test, which is a testimony to the capabilities the AvMC team brings to our Soldiers. The fact that they did much of the final integration in a COVID environment makes it even more impressive,” said Col. Justin Highley, commander, CCDC AvMC Technology Development Directorate – Aviation Technology, Systems Integration and Demonstration.

“Constant and iterative innovation is one reason why the Chinook is the world’s heavy-lift leader,” said Andy Builta, Boeing vice president and H-47 program manager. "This is another important milestone in determining the feasibility of increasing the capability of the CH-47 Chinook. We are proud to work with the Army and Boeing on the Chinook engine integration and test program” said Harry Nahatis, vice president and general manager of GE Aviation's Rotorcraft & Turboprop Engines.

Future flights are expected to include both hover and forward flight maneuvers at several gross weight configurations. Flight tests are anticipated through the end of the year, including a flight demonstration event for Army and industry senior leaders to showcase CCDC AvMC’s vehicle integration capability. The outcome of the program will determine the feasibility and reduction of risk with operating the CH-47 Chinook with a more powerful turboshaft engine.