GE Aviation Concludes Testing F-35 Adaptive Cycle Engine Prototype

GE Aviation's XA100 adaptive cycle engine is ready to progress from prototype into development following testing with the U.S. Air Force, the manufacturer said.

Kimberly Johnson

Tuesday, September 13, 2022 at 04:28 PM ET

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GE’s XA100 and Pratt & Whitney's XA10 are under consideration as a potential powerplant upgrade for Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter. [Courtesy: U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

GE Aviation's XA100 adaptive cycle engine has completed U.S. Air Force testing and is ready for full development, competing to upgrade the F-35 fighter jet.
The XA100 is projected to provide the F-35 with 30% more range, over 20% faster acceleration, and includes both high-thrust and high-efficiency modes.
Defense officials are expected to decide by fiscal year 2024 on whether to adopt a new adaptive engine like the XA100 or pursue a cheaper upgrade to the existing F-35 engine, as the U.S. military's propulsion advantage is considered to be stagnating.

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GE Aviation’s (NYSE: GE) XA100 adaptive cycle engine is ready to progress from prototype into development following testing with the U.S. Air Force, according to the manufacturer.

The XA100, along with Pratt & Whitney’s XA10, are two engines the Air Force’s Adaptive Engine Transition Program (AETP) is considering as a potential powerplant upgrade for the Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter.