Pratt & Whitney, an RTX business, has completed critical testing on its small turbofan engine family for use on Collaborative Combat Aircraft, or CCAs. Testing confirms that the business can increase thrust on these existing engines for use on CCA platforms.

The engine family, originally designed for commercial aircraft applications, is known for its exceptional performance, reliability and efficiency. Building on these qualities, Pratt & Whitney has unlocked additional capability from the engine to benefit CCA applications, which favor embedded engines that offer maximum maneuverability and range.

"For unmanned applications, our commercial-off-the-shelf engines can offer an up to 20% increase in their qualified thrust capability," said Jill Albertelli, president of Pratt & Whitney's Military Engines business. "This means that we can deliver increased performance from these production engines. Ultimately, this will allow for reduced cost and weight for multiple applications."

A second series of tests is underway, monitoring inlet airflow and pressure variations for engines embedded within the aircraft. When airflow to the engine is interrupted or blocked, there is the potential to impact performance. These tests are pushing those limits, intentionally distorting airflow around the flight envelope to document performance and produce a reliable prediction tool for future installations.

These series of tests, conducted alongside a digital twin model, allow Pratt & Whitney to meet cost, schedule and technical requirements for CCA propulsion while reducing risk to engine integration activities.