Honeywell Aerospace’s SkyShot 1600 engine has been selected by the US Air Force to advance to the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) stage under the Autonomous Collaborative Platform programme.
The PDR is a formal programme review used to assess whether the engine design is sufficiently mature to progress into detailed development.
The SkyShot 1600 is designed for collaborative combat aircraft and unmanned aircraft applications, with requirements including high-altitude operation, G-level performance and manoeuvrability.
The engine architecture can support turbojet or turbofan configurations across a thrust range of 800 to 2,800 pound-force. Honeywell said the engine core has been demonstrated across its full rated thrust range.
“We’ve leveraged our proven and tested technology, plus the latest advancements in digital modelling and manufacturing, to design an engine ready to power the next generation of collaborative combat aircraft and unmanned systems,” said Dave Marinick, president and CEO of Engines and Power Systems at Honeywell Aerospace.
The SkyShot 1600 has been designed to support rapid transition from digital models to physical production. Honeywell said a significant proportion of the materials used in the engine can be produced through additive manufacturing or high-volume manufacturing processes.
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These manufacturing methods are intended to support production flexibility and supply-chain requirements as the engine progresses through development.
The PDR marks the next stage in Honeywell’s work on the SkyShot 1600 under the Air Force’s ACP programme, following demonstration of the engine core across its rated thrust range.
