The project, known as the Applied Research Collaborative Systematic Turboshaft Electrification Project (ARC-STEP), focuses on advancing technologies for future Army air and ground vehicle propulsion. The research involved developing, testing, and evaluating a megawatt-class electrified powerplant to refine hybrid electric propulsion technologies.
“GE Aerospace has a nearly 50-year legacy as the powerplant for Army Aviation, from the proven T700 engine to the new revolutionary T901 engine,” said John Martin, Director of Turboshaft Advanced Programs at GE Aerospace. “ARC-STEP builds on that legacy and refines technologies along a path for hybrid electric propulsion for both the U.S. Army and the world.”
The successful demonstration combined a CT7 turboshaft engine with GE Aerospace-produced electric machines and power electronics. Testing was conducted at GE Aerospace’s Research Centre in Niskayuna, New York, with collaboration between GE experts and U.S. Army researchers to integrate technologies for lightweight, efficient, and reliable hybrid-electric propulsion systems.
Dr. Mike Kweon, program manager of DEVCOM ARL’s Versatile Tactical Power and Propulsion Essential Research Program, highlighted the achievement: “It’s exciting to see the successful demonstration of ARC-STEP, which has enhanced our understanding of the potential for MW-class series hybrid systems to power future Army air and ground vehicles. I look forward to seeing how ARC-STEP will shape the direction of power systems for the Army’s future air and ground vehicles.”
The ARC-STEP initiative aligns with other GE Aerospace hybrid electric propulsion projects, including the Hybrid Electric Experiment (HEX) with Sikorsky and NASA’s Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration (EPFD) project. Together, these efforts aim to mature megawatt-class hybrid electric powertrain technologies for applications ranging from military vehicles to commercial single-aisle aircraft.