Honeywell plans to offer the HTS900 engine to Airbus for a potential requirement to re-engine the LUH-72 Lakota, company executives say.
Airbus invited Honeywell to make a proposal under a request for information delivered recently, says Tom Hart, Honeywell’s vice-president of defence and space.
“Airbus is looking for what future engines could be used for that mission, if they were required,” Hart says.
The 1,000shp-class HTS900 would provide a significant power boost for the Lakota fleet, which is currently powered by 738shp Turbomeca Arriel 1E2 engines.
Airbus manages the Lakota fleet under a logistics support deal from the army, Hart says. As part of that deal, they are considering re-engining options if the army decides to add missions, or simply give the aircraft more power in its current role, he says.
The HTS900 is derived from the Lycoming LTS101 engine, Hart notes. And the LTS101 powered the original BK117 helicopter, the original medium-twin that evolved into the H145, which is the commercial version of the LUH-72.
“So the HTS900 actually has similar mounting points to that aircraft already, so it would be a nice application,” Hart says.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
