GE Aerospace has secured a $1.4-billion contract to supply additional T408 turboshaft engines for the US Marine Corps’ Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion helicopter.
The deal encompasses the delivery of lots 9 to 13 of the propulsion system for the heavy-lift rotary wing aircraft, following six previous agreements signed for the ongoing initiative.
The latest, multi-year award covers new production sets, spare engines, and associated maintenance services for the military.
Assembly of the engines will be conducted at GE’s facility in Lynn, Massachusetts, with supporting works across New Hampshire, Vermont, Kentucky, Ohio, and Florida.
German firm MTU Aero Engines, a long-standing partner of the T408 program, will manufacture the power turbine for the engines.
GE’s T408 Technology
The T408 achieved initial operational capability with the US Marine Corps alongside the CH-53K in 2022, just four years after the first King Stallion airframe was delivered to the force.
Three T408s are fitted into the rotorcraft, providing a combined 22,500 horsepower, which is approximately 57 percent more output than the engine’s T64 predecessor.
This capability allows the platform to have three times the range and payload capacity of the CH-53’s earlier E Super Stallion variant, improving personnel and weapons movement for warfighters.
In addition, the T408 is built with optimized fuel consumption, 63 percent fewer parts, and a rugged design, allowing for 18 percent more efficiency and better maintainability.
“This latest contract is a testament to the T408’s ability to deliver the power, durability and efficiency the Marine Corps depends on,” said Scott Snyder, program director of heavy lift engines at GE Aerospace.
“We are honored to support the CH-53K and the critical mission it performs for Marines, joint forces and allies around the globe.”
