GE Aerospace to Support Polish Military’s T700-Powered Helicopter Fleet

GE Aerospace and the Polish Ministry of National Defense agreed to support an upcoming acquisition of 96 Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopters equipped with GE’s T700 engines. Per the agreement, Military Aviation Works will provide licensed maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) work for Apache T700/CT7 engines, in addition to the Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk and Leonardo AW149 and AW101 helicopters in the Polish Armed Forces aircraft fleet.

The Military University of Technology in Warsaw will manage T700/CT7 training for polish technicians, military personnel, and WZL-1 employees supporting helicopter fleet operation. The Polish Ministry of National Defense will have a full engine depot and domestic engine training capabilities, ensuring supply security for platforms powered by T700/CT7 engines. Additionally, the agreement establishes future partnerships on GE Aerospace’s combat engines, including the F110, F414, and F404.

“These collaborations with WZL-1 and WAT will be key to ensuring Poland has the right capabilities and resources to support its growing fleet of GE Aerospace’s T700/CT7 engines,” said Rita Flaherty, VP of Global Sales & Business Development at GE Aerospace. “WZL-1 has expertise in engine MRO services, and WAT is known for its military training and producing qualified technicians who will work on these engines for decades to come. Both partners complement the Polish Armed Forces’ requirement for in-country capabilities, and GE Aerospace looks forward to working with these Polish companies as they support the T700/CT7 family of engines.”

The T700/CT7 are turboshaft and turboprop engines powering a variety of civil aviation and military applications, such as transport, utility and attack, medical evacuation, air rescue, firefighting, special operations, and marine patrol.

GE Aerospace/Vernova News

In early August 2024, the Turkish Naval Forces (TNF) contracted GE Aerospace to supply LM2500 engines for four frigates, providing 23 MW of power to each vessel. This contract builds on last year’s agreement with TAIS OG-STM in which GE Aerospace delivered LM2500 marine gas turbines for three Istif-class frigates.

Istif-class frigates, larger than TNF Ada-class corvettes, are exclusively powered by LM2500 gas turbines and feature larger hulls for increased endurance, range capability, and longer-range weapons. A total of 31 LM2500 engines are currently equipped across 18 Turkish vessels. In addition to Ada- and Istif-class ships, GE Aerospace turbines will be installed on Barbaros- and Gabya-class frigates and DIMDEG oil replenishment vessels. The LM2500 engine family is being considered for the TNF’s future TF-2000 air defense destroyer.

In March 2024, GE Vernova’s power conversion division signed a contract with ST Engineering Marine Ltd. for its Ship’s Electric Grid with an integrated full-electric propulsion system. As part of the Singapore Navy’s Multi-Role Combat Vessel program, this equipment was installed on six MRCVs to replace a fleet of mechanical drive Victory-class missile corvettes.

The Ship’s Electric Grid generates electricity needed for propulsion and powers the operational and mission systems, including radar and communications. The system can distribute electric power to other loads on the ship’s network, enabling higher energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness compared to traditional mechanical drive configurations.