The U.S. Air Force has granted a $20-million contract to Florida Turbine Technologies (FTT) to develop “revolutionary and innovative technologies” for the third phase of the Versatile Affordable Advanced Turbine Engines (VAATE) program, and beyond. VAATE is a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Energy and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) program that includes the Advanced Affordable Turbine Engine (AATE) program, which is the Army’s project to develop an advanced helicopter engine.
The indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity agreement with Jupiter, Fla.-based FTT covers VAATE Phase III and follow-on technologies through September 2022. FTT won the eight-year contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Wright-Patterson’s aerospace contracting branch for turbine engines after a competitive process that included 34 bids. The company will receive a total of $150,000 during 2014. According to the DoD, by 2017 the effort will seek to achieve “an order of magnitude increase in turbo-propulsion affordability over the year 2000 state-of-the-art technology.”
The AFRL awarded contracts to FTT for phase one of VAATE in 2003 and phase two in 2008. The company lists the following areas that the contract intends to cover:
• Efficient Subsonic and Supersonic Expendable Engines: Projects aimed at developing technologies for small expendable engines (<1200 lbf) that will enhance future extended strike and persistent ISR applications.
• Remotely Piloted Vehicles: Projects aimed at developing technologies for small turbofan and turboshaft engines that are extremely durable and efficient, and will enhance future extended C2ISR applications.
• Re-useable High Mach Turbine Engines: Projects aimed at developing efficient power production using Ram Air (Ram air turbine development) and critical testing capability to assess high temperature materials and coating/material systems under representative gas path conditions.
• Very High Efficiency Engines: Projects aimed at developing technologies for larger turbine engines that leverage FTT’s concepts for highly efficient turbine cooling (ARTIC), tip clearance control and science and technology basis development for Turbine, Compression and Combustion Systems in coordination with AFRL.
