Air Force adds General Electric to potential $409 million engine power contract

The Air Force has added General Electric as a participant on a potential seven-year, $409 million contract to help build thermal, power and control technologies for air platforms and engines.

GE becomes the third company with a position on the Next Generation Thermal, Power, and Controls contract alongside Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. United Technologies Corp. subsidiary Pratt & Whitney was announced July 11 as an awardee but the Defense Department subsequently said July 12 that spot had not been awarded yet.

The Air Force Research Laboratory received seven proposals for NGT-PAC and a Deltek description of the contract said more awards were anticipated at the time of Lockheed's selection in June for the initial position. All awards were slated to be made by this calendar year's third quarter, Deltek says.

Through NGT-PAC, the laboratory aims to develop new engines and both manned and unmanned aircraft through applied research into new technologies and architectures. AFRL wants industry participants to expand knowledge and understanding of future power, thermal and controls platforms to determine both technological feasibility and production ability.

NGT-PAC also includes an airframer objective to examine how to integrate high-power lasers onto combat aircraft, as well as an engine objective on how to retrofit dual spool power extraction systems into a fighter or bomber's engine.