Dowty announced today ahead of the Farnborough International Airshow that it's supporting the latest phase of next-generation aircraft engine technology advancement, backed by £12 million of investment to date from parent company GE Aerospace.

Dowty's expertise in composite materials, propeller blade retention technologies, pitch actuation systems, and durable propeller structures is helping inform Open Fan architecture development, a jet engine design that removes the traditional casing, allowing for a larger fan size with less drag to improve fuel efficiency and durability. The first prototypes built by Dowty were recently tested for how blade retention systems would respond to impact by hail, debris or other objects during operations.

The investment from GE Aerospace in Dowty to date has funded new machinery, testing capabilities, and hiring to help enable the future of flight. These investments build on Dowty's long track record of successfully fielded turboprop propellers and joins other recent investments in GE Aerospace's United Kingdom facilities for current production.

"Open Fan is the next step in the evolution of aviation propulsion to deliver durability and efficiency performance improvements that meet customer needs. The Open Fan architecture combines the best of our turbofan and turboprop experience, building on proven technology for highly reliable future products," said Arjan Hegeman, vice president for future of flight engineering at GE Aerospace. "With more than 50 million flight hours safely operating commercial propellers in open environments, Dowty provides highly valuable insight and experience unique in the industry."

Open Fan architecture is one of the technologies being developed through the CFM International RISE program. Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines (RISE) is a technology demonstration program of CFM International, a 50-50 joint company between GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines. It is not a product offered for commercial sale. The RISE program is aligned with the UK Government's Industrial Strategy that targets increasing the country's market share of the global aerospace industry from 10% to 15% by 2050, with the next-generation narrowbody aircraft market identified as the single biggest opportunity.

"Dowty has a strong track record of delivering durable, high-performing propeller systems and today's news is a real vote of confidence in the expertise Dowty can bring to Open Fan technology development," said Henry Johnston, CEO of Dowty. "It allows us to advance next-generation technologies while continuing to invest in our people and strengthen our capabilities in the UK, where we have been proudly based for more than 80 years."

Unveiled in 2021, the CFM RISE program is one of the aviation industry's most comprehensive technology demonstrators with more than 350 tests and more than 3,000 cycles of endurance tests completed to date, including tests on advanced engine architectures like Open Fan, compact core and hybrid electric systems. The RISE program prioritises safety, durability and efficiency, targeting more than 20% better fuel burn compared to commercial engines in service today.