Air Force Research Lab has given a $300 million contract to Rolls Royce’s LibertyWorks unit in Indianapolis to develop the Adaptive Versatile Engine Technology program leading to a next-generation propulsion system that will operate over a broad range of altitudes and speeds without sacrificing fuel efficiency. AFRL calls the ADVENT program “the next big step in turbine engine technology.” Rolls Royce has contributed technology to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter engine and other advanced engine programs. Phil Burkholder, COO for LibertyWorks, says that his unit and AFRL “will deliver some lasting changes that will dramatically reduce fuel consumption.” The Air Force expects work to be completed by September 2012.
VIDEO: 4 Principles of Agile JADC2 Development
Jan. 18, 2021
Innovation has always been a hallmark of the U.S. Air Force. But with the accelerating pace of technology development, the service needs a new approach to modern design to make the latest technologies profoundly more accessible.