GUY NORRIS / LOS ANGELES
Bigger military budgets in the US mean more money is being spent on aircraft - and therefore on engines too
The military engine world is used to political turmoil and, in most respects, waxes or wanes on the back of it. The terrorist attacks on the USA on 11 September and the subsequent ramp-up of the USA war machine generated a new wave of turmoil that will have long-term implications for the market worldwide.
The urgent need for "homeland defence", increased power projection and the Bush administration's "war on terrorism policy" have resulted in a massive $48 billion boost to US defence spending, its highest in two decades. For the time being, the biggest US winners are "transformational" aircraft and the engines that power them. Increased spending of $5.3 billion planned for the Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 has benefited Pratt & Whitney as it provides the aircraft's F119 powerplants. The company will also benefit from work valued at more than $4 billion for the full-scale development of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter F135 engine. It has also received the green light to plan the manufacture of more than 240 F117 (PW2000) engines for 60 Boeing C-17s with the expected go-ahead for a second multi-year procurement.
The budget has also lit up General Electric. Although there is no more money for Lockheed Martin F-16s, and F414-powered Boeing F/A-18E/F acquisitions are reduced by four to 44 in the current budget submission, the newly named F136 alternative JSF engine remains fully funded. Despite long-term uncertainty over the final numbers of F-35s that will be required by the US Navy and Marines, the programme remains the biggest military aircraft development programme.
In the mid-term, the heavy use of F-16s and Boeing F-15s on homeland defence patrols, higher cycle rates and the subsequent operations in and around the Afghanistan campaign, have all taken a toll on the engines. The result will be work for GE and P&W in the shape of accelerated upgrades, replacements and even retrofits. GE's F110 mid-life update and ejector nozzle initiative on the F-16 is likely to attract more attention, as will the company's persistent efforts to find a place on the F-15 by replacing P&W's F100-220 with the F110-129.
Although the sheer size of the US market and its military users warrants immediate attention, it is the impact of the fall-out of last year's events on other world markets that remains less clear. Rolls-Royce, linked closely to the fortunes of the USA through its teaming on both JSF engines and its Indianapolis-based programmes, is perhaps among the first of the overseas engine makers to experience the sea-change.
Procurement of the Lockheed Martin C-130J and its AE2100 turboprop is, at last, starting to accelerate, but it is the promise of the AE3007 and other small turbofans now being used to power unmanned air vehicle (UAV) programmes such as the Northrop Grumman RQ-4A Global Hawk, that is just as alluring. The major development effort being put into unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAVs) and unmanned reconnaissance platforms bodes well, particularly for those engine makers with early involvement. Smaller engine makers keen to make an impact in UAV/UCAV territory include Honeywell and Pratt & Whitney Canada. Both see the emerging area as a perfect niche for their power class and both have made expansion of their military portfolios a key element of their agenda.
In European terms, the seemingly endless saga of the Airbus military company A400M and the now defunct turboprop proposal, the TP400, moves relentlessly on. The next exciting installment sees the unveiling of a newly configured consortia around a reconfigured three-shaft core design. The former TP400, proposed by the Aero Propulsion Alliance (APA), failed to meet specifications. Techspace of Belgium and Italy's FiatAvio will not form part of the new alliance line-up with ITP, MTU, Rolls-Royce and Snecma, although both are expected to bid for parts of the revised programme.
More successful European joint ventures include Eurojet, Rolls-Royce Turbomeca and MTR. Eurojet is well into initial assembly of first production batches of the EJ200 for the Eurofighter Typhoon, while the RTM322 has notched up an impressive backlog on the back of orders for the AgustaWestland EH101, Westland Apache AH1 and NH Industries NH90. MTR, a venture of MTU, Turbomeca and R-R, is also entering production on the MTR390 for the Eurocopter Tiger and has already recorded its first international win in Australia.
The resounding message for all involved is that partnerships pay off, particularly in today's uncertain, intensely competitive post-Cold War environment. The key European players, MTU, Turbomeca, R-R and, to a lesser extent FiatAvio and ITP, have become almost reliant on the success of these joint efforts for their continuing stability. R-R has also been more successful than most in adapting this strategy to include transatlantic alliances with GE and P&W, a move augmented by R-R's important purchase of Allison.
Snecma looks east
Snecma, its flotation on hold pending improved economic conditions, is strengthening international links further east, particularly with Russia (through associate Turbomeca) on the RSK MiG-AT and with India's Hindustan Aeronautics on the HJT36.
Russian engine maker hopes, frustrated as always by chronic shortages of cash, are being revived by prospects of a brighter export market. China continues to be a good customer for Lyulka Saturn's AL-31 engine in various guises. With signs that the country's defence budget could double by 2005, companies such as Adviadvigatel, Klimov, Progress and Soyuz are expected to push for more links. The signs of more active export business also come as Russian domestic spending finally begins to show indications of serious support for "Russianised" aircraft with indigenous powerplants.
While manufacturers wait in hope of more orders, the present fleet provides a constant source of revenue in terms of spares, maintenance and overhaul. Although an increasing percentage of this work does not come back to the original engine manufacturer, the current fleet size presents a big picture overview of the relative opportunities and installed base. Based on data developed for Flight International's Military Aircraft Census and companion World Air Forces Directory, the listing indicates a distinctive, but not surprising picture of the market. Excluding the impending impact of the F-35 programme, the top five engine makers supporting and supplying powerplants for fixed wing military aircraft are General Electric, with almost 10,000 engines powering the top 10 types of combat, transport, tanker and training aircraft either in service or on order.
Pratt & Whitney, including P&WC, is a strong second, with almost 7,700 engines in this category, with R-R a close third with almost 7,500. Soyuz, thanks to the enormous fleet of almost 7,000 R11/13 engines, comes in fourth, while Klimov is in fifth place with around 5,000. Progress lies sixth with 3,260 engines, while CFM International and Aviadvigatel are joint seventh with around 2,000 engines. The list does not include the large numbers of turboshafts in service or on order, although this category is dominated by Klimov, GE, R-R (along with its Turbomeca and MTU team members) and Honeywell.
Source: Flight International
