Development
The engine was designed for the Boeing AH-64 Apache, Hughes AH-64 Apache and Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk, Sikorsky UH-60 Blackhawk, competing with the General Electric T700 and the Pratt & Whitney Canada PW100. The partners shared the £100 million development costs equally, Rolls-Royce made the turbines, the combustor, and the inlet particle separator while Turbomeca produced the Axial compressor, axial-centrifugal compressor and intake. The engine first ran on 15 December 1984, with eight bench prototypes for 30,000 cycles and 13,000 test hours, and four for flight tests, initially aiming for type certificate, type certification to be issued in 1987. The first order for the RTM322 was received in 1992 to power 44 Royal Navy AgustaWestland AW101, AugustaWestland Merlin HM1s which subsequently entered service in 1998. Over 1,100 engines are in service, having logged over one million flight hours, powering 60% of the AgustaWestland AW101, Agusta-Westland AW101 fleet and 80% of in-service NHIndustries NH90, NH90s. In 2013, Turbomeca (part of the Safran, Safran Group, and now known as Safran Helicopter Engines) acquired the entire programme, becoming responsible for both production and product support. Safran Helicopter Engines has since developed a new engine derived from the RTM322, known as the Aneto.Safran Aneto
The first 2,500 shp -1K was selected to power the AgustaWestland AW149, Leonardo AW149 and AgustaWestland AW189, Leonardo AW189K twin to extend its capabilities, it flew in March 2017 and was scheduled to be introduced in the fourth quarter of 2018. The more powerful 3,000+ shp “Dash 3” should appear in the early 2020s and will feature a new compressor and hot section. The required documentation was expected to be handed to the European Aviation Safety Agency, EASA in early 2019 for a second quarter certification. By October 2018, the programme had accumulated 4,000 hours, including 105 hours of flight time. In 2018 Sikorsky was considering Re-engine, re-engining its General Electric T700, CT7-powered Sikorsky S-92, S-92. The Aneto-1K was added on the RTM 322 type certificate on 12 December 2019.Design
As an RTM322 variant, the Aneto is a two spool turboshaft with a three stage axial compressor and a single stage centrifugal compressor turning at 36,300rpm, a reverse flow annular combustor, a two stage gas generator axial turbine and a two stage axial power turbine with a forward transmission shaft turning at 21,000rpm. Fitted with an inlet particle separator, its Accessory drive, accessory gearbox is driven by the gas generator and the engine is control by a FADEC. Built upon the Safran Tech 3000 technological demonstrator, it aims to gradually offer up to 15% better Fuel economy in aircraft, fuel economy over current competitors to improve payload-range and offers 25% better power density than existing engines of same volume. Offered for new or for existing models, fewer scheduled maintenance tasks, longer maintenance intervals and health monitoring should improve maintainability. Suited for 8–15 ton helicopters, it is developed from the RTM322: the -1K has a similar architecture but no common parts. Parts made by additive manufacturing are used in the gyratory combustion chamber and the inlet guide vane system. Compatible with Hybrid electric vehicle#Aircraft, hybrid and distributed propulsion systems, in cruise flight one of the two engines could be shut down and restarted when needed. In the AW189, it is offered along the incumbent General Electric CT7, needing minor changes to the top-deck structure and engine cowls. Exempted from U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations, it could power the AW189's military derivative, the AW149 or a future attack helicopter based on its dynamic systems. Developed from a French Aviation Authority study, the Safran Power Pack Eco Mode on the Eurocopter X3#RACER, Airbus Helicopters Racer allows it to put one of the two engines on standby during cruise flight, lowering fuel consumption by 15%, and quickly and automatically reactivate it with an electric starter to its maximum power for acceleration, landing or emergencies. The Aneto Brake-specific fuel consumption, specific fuel consumption should be 10% better than the competing GE T700, CT7s.Applications
*AgustaWestland Apache *AgustaWestland AW101 *NHIndustries NH90 * Also used in Eurocopter X3Aneto
* AgustaWestland AW149, Leonardo AW149 * AgustaWestland AW189, Leonardo AW189K: Aneto-1K, 2,500 shp; March 2017 first flight, fourth quarter of 2018 introduction. * Proposed for the Airbus Helicopters X6 (suspended) * Eurocopter X3#RACER, Airbus Helicopters Racer high-speed demonstrator: Aneto-1X, 2,500 shp. * Indian Multi Role Helicopter: Aneto-1HSpecifications
See also
References
External links