GE Aviation, BAE Systems Partner On Hybrid Electric Flight Demonstration Program

GE Aviation has chosen BAE Systems to design, test and supply energy management components for its hybrid electric propulsion system demonstration program. For the project, BAE will be providing the battery and cabling used to store electricity and drive the motor/generator being built by GE Aviation. The program is part of a NASA and GE Aviation research partnership aimed at demonstrating the “flight readiness of an integrated hybrid electric propulsion system for single-aisle commercial aircraft.”

“We are excited about the opportunity to collaborate with BAE Systems on this demonstrator to advance energy storage systems at altitude,” said Mohamed Ali, GE Aviation vice president and general manager of engineering. “GE Aviation is leading the development of hybrid electric technology for commercial aviation through this NASA collaboration. Energy management is an important component of our research program toward a more electric future of aviation with reduced carbon emissions and less reliance on fossil-based jet fuels.”

GE says it will test hybrid electric configurations on a modified Saab 340B through NASA’s Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstration (EPFD) project. BAE will also supply controls and cables for the power management system to be tested on the demonstrator aircraft’s CT7-9B turboprop engines. Ground and flight tests of are expected to take place in the mid-2020s.