Air Force and industry engineers are testing an enhanced version of the Rolls Royce AE3007 turbofan engine that powers RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles at the Arnold Engineering Development Center on the grounds of Arnold AFB, Tenn. These activities are taking place in the center’s T-4 test cell. Gary Meuer, the contractor managing the testing, said this is the first altitude test of this engine variant, which features upgraded turbine hardware and an improved combustor. “They [the customer and sponsor] are after fuel economy, not more performance, but more efficiency and endurance,” said Meuer. Andrew Jackson, the lead contractor engineer for the testing, said T-4 simulates the altitude and Mach number of the Global Hawk in flight. RQ-4s have an operational ceiling around 65,000 ft. (AEDC release)
Amid NATO’s continued push to ramp up air defenses in Eastern Europe, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall swung by seven allied countries to boost relations last week, including those on Russia’s and Ukraine’s doorstep.