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The Defiant X is the Sikorsky-Boeing teams final pitch for the U.S. Army's Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA). Defiant Team Image

Honeywell to power Defiant X compound coaxial helicopter

By Dan Parsons | February 10, 2022

Estimated reading time 4 minutes, 40 seconds.

Honeywell has been selected to provide the power plant for Defiant X, which Sikorsky and Boeing are building in hopes of replacing the U.S. Army’s Black Hawk helicopters. 

The new HTS7500 engine is a descendant of a long line of Honeywell military engines, including the T55, which has powered both the CH-47 and MH-47 Chinook helicopters for more than 60 years. Two HTS7500s will power Defiant X, Sikorsky and Boeing’s team pitch for the Army’s Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA). 

The Defiant X is the Sikorsky-Boeing teams final pitch for the U.S. Army's Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA). Defiant Team Image
The Defiant X is the Sikorsky-Boeing teams final pitch for the U.S. Army’s Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA). Defiant Team Image

“Honeywell is excited to be a part of Team Defiant and proud to play a part in the future of vertical lift for the U.S. Army,” said Ricky Freeman, president of defense and space at Honeywell Aerospace. “We’re confident our HTS7500 engine on the Defiant X platform will provide the Army with an agile, fast and maneuverable platform that will help ensure overmatch capability in the future battlespace.”

The HTS7500 is 42 percent more powerful than the 5,000-shaft-horsepower T55-GA-714A and at 985 pounds (446 kilograms) offers lower total weight compared to other engines in its horsepower class, according to Dave Marinick, president of engines and power systems at Honeywell Aerospace.

As the engine’s name suggests, it boasts 7,500 shaft horsepower, an output shaft speed of 15,000 RPMs and an 18 percent reduction in specific fuel consumption as compared to the T55-714A.

Honeywell’s HTS7500 engine. Honeywell Photo

The new engine comes equipped with a modernized control system, which enables a highly secure flow of engine data, improves operating capabilities, reduces life-cycle costs, and ensures engine health status through its digital thread road map, according to Honeywell. 

“This engine builds upon the battle-proven architecture of the T55, but the HTS7500 takes engine performance, reliability and efficiency to a whole new level,” Marinick said. “The engine is structurally similar, which is great for maintainers in the field because they can use current tools and training. However, when it comes to performance, the HTS7500 is 42% more powerful than the T55-GA-714A and has the lowest total weight compared to other engines in its horsepower class.”

FLRAA is envisioned by the Army as a 30,000-pound weight class rotorcraft capable of advanced maneuverability and speeds a cruise speed of at least 250 knots. The Army plans to choose one of two designs this summer to begin building engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) aircraft in preparation for production to equip a first unit in 2030. 

Defiant X’s only competition for FLRAA is Bell’s V-280 Valor advanced tiltrotor, which flew more than 200 hours over three years powered by twin General Electric T64 turboshaft engines. Bell is now partnered with Rolls Royce, which will power production V-280s with its 7,000-shaft-horsepower AE 1107, a version of the 1107C engine that powers the V-22 Osprey.

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