Collins Aerospace, an RTX business, has completed detailed design review and started fabrication of a one megawatt electric generator for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) as part of the Advanced Turbine Technologies for Affordable Mission-Capability program. The low-spool generator could have multiple applications for future crewed and uncrewed military platforms.
"To power advanced mission systems, high-energy weapons and hybrid-electric propulsion architectures, the next generation of military aircraft will require an order-of-magnitude increase in electricity," said Bill Dolan, vice president, Power and Controls Engineering for Collins. "By safely and efficiently providing onboard high-voltage DC power, our 1MW generator will support these new technologies and help enable new platforms to achieve their target capabilities."
Having finished engineering work on the generator and moved into the manufacturing phase, Collins is on track to deliver hardware to the Air Force and test the generator to Technology Readiness Level 5 in 2024. Testing will take place at The Grid, Collins' $50 million state-of-the art electric power systems lab slated to open in Rockford, Illinois in October. RTX's Pratt & Whitney business is also supporting the AFRL 1MW generator program by studying future engine integration opportunities.
The 1MW generator builds on Collins' long experience in providing electric power for military and commercial aircraft, including the generators it currently supplies for the F-22, F-35 and 787. Along with the 1MW motor Collins is developing for the RTX hybrid-electric flight demonstrator, the 1MW generator forms part of Collins' technology roadmap to develop a family of motor generators that can be scaled up or down to meet the power requirements of future military and commercial platforms.
