Rolls-Royce, Avio Aero and IHI Corporation have pushed the UK future combat air system engine closer to ground trials after passing over 100 component tests and completing a key round of design reviews on July 20. The work brings the main engine demonstrator nearer final approval, but not there yet.
Edoardo Curti, general manager of the Defense Business Unit at Avio Aero, said the progress across the three companies was “a significant milestone” in the effort to deliver next-generation capability. He added that the companies are strengthening collaboration with Rolls-Royce and IHI and laying the groundwork for a long-term partnership under GCAP.
GCAP design reviews
The latest reviews cover the power and propulsion system for GCAP, the programme jointly developed by the United Kingdom, Italy and Japan. The engine is being built to handle high power, propulsion and cooling demands, including the electrical load from future sensors and weapons.
Teams in all three partner countries have already started making engine parts. The consortium said the demonstrator data will help decide the final design of the power and propulsion system and test engineering methods, digital tools and production techniques.
Reading collaboration hub
Rolls-Royce, Avio Aero and IHI have also opened a Collaboration Hub in Reading, where teams from the three companies work with the GCAP Agency and Edgewing. The facility gives the programme a shared place to continue development work as the demonstrator moves toward ground testing.
The remaining step is full demonstrator ground trials, which will show whether the design can move beyond review and component testing into a single engine demonstrator built for later development stages. For the consortium, the result so far is progress with the hard part still ahead.
