The US drone manufacturer Kratos has announced that it has received an order from the US Air Force to produce a cost-optimized turbojet engine for future cruise missiles and unusable unmanned combat aircraft.
The company’s press release announced on Tuesday that Kratos Turbine Technologies division had won a $ 12.7 million contract under its ID / IQ (Advanced Turbine Technologies for Affordable Mission) contract.
The program is administered by the Turbine Engine Division of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL / RQT). The award follows successful ground testing of an affordable turbo jet developed for use in future low-cost cruise missiles and unusable unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
The design and testing of the 200 pound turbojet thrust class was completed in less than 18 months. This shows that Kratos is capable of meeting the demands of today’s warfighter. The tests included characterizing the engine from ignition to overspeed conditions, characterizing engine performance including thrust, fuel efficiency and electrical performance, and engine life.
The tests were conducted at the recently commissioned Kratos engine test facility in Indiantown, Florida.
The aim of the order placed is to complete the engine development for flight tests and to demonstrate the cost-effective engine architecture with a targeted service life. The work will be carried out by KTT in Florida.
Stacey Rock, President of Kratos’ Turbine Technologies Division, said, “The recent demonstration of our advanced engine architecture is another major milestone in our commitment to providing affordable, high-performance turbine engines. All of Kratos is focused on supporting the US warfighter and industrial base, including significant investments in the development and production of next generation engines and supporting STEM opportunities in the US. We look forward to continuing to support AFRL in developing transformative and affordable turbine engine technologies. “
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