US Army to demonstrate its upgraded Chinook engine

The US Army is to demonstrate an uprated ‘next-generation’ version of the Honeywell T55-GA-714 engine on a Boeing CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopter.

The engine manufacturer announced on 4 June that that it will test the 6,000 shp T55-GA-714C version of the 4,800 shp T55-GA-714A powerplant that already powers the Chinook, demonstrating the uprated engine’s 25% increase in power and 10% reduction in fuel consumption.

“The design improvement will be demonstrated as part of the Cooperation Research and Development Agreement process with the US Army,” Honeywell said.

The installation will take place on a CH-47F testbed at Fort Eustis in Newport News, Virginia, under the supervision of the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation and Missile Center. “The demonstration will show the ease of installation and prove out the engine’s new compressor design that brings additional performance and reduces fuel burn. After that, Honeywell will complete the final qualification process for the new engine design,” the company said.

No timeline for the demonstration was provided.

Honeywell has been the incumbent engine provider for the Chinook since it delivered its first 2,050 shp T55 engines for the CH-47A in 1961. With more than 900 Chinooks currently in service with the US Army and international operators, Honeywell noted that equipping this global fleet with the latest T55-GA-714C version of the engine would require no structural modifications to the helicopter.