GE Aerospace today announced the successful supersonic captive carry flight tests of its Atmospheric Test of Launched Airbreathing System (ATLAS) Flight Test Vehicle, marking a major milestone in advancing solid fuel ramjet (SFRJ) propulsion technology. The tests, conducted using a Starfighters F-104 aircraft, included three flights that reached supersonic speeds, demonstrating the viability of the system under realistic conditions.
“This marks a pivotal moment for GE Aerospace as we showcase our solid fuel ramjet technology in flight for the first time,” said Mark Rettig, vice president & general manager of Edison Works Business & Technology Development at GE Aerospace. “Captive carry testing of reusable flight test hardware allows for more frequent testing in realistic atmospheric conditions to better understand system behavior.”
The ATLAS project was funded by the Department of War via Title III of the Defense Production Act to scale up the technology for air-breathing propulsion to extend the range of munitions. This phase is designed to showcase and validate the key performance capabilities of solid fuel ramjets during flight, offering essential insights for future systems requiring enhanced speed, range, and responsiveness.
These tests represent just one pillar of GE Aerospace’s broader investments in advanced high speed and hypersonic propulsion technologies. The company acquired Innoveering in 2022 to accelerate its hypersonics portfolio and announced significant test infrastructure upgrades earlier this year at its Evendale, Ohio; Bohemia, New York; and Niskayuna, New York facilities. These enhancements will enable higher-Mach, mission-relevant testing at a scale not previously possible.
GE Aerospace is a global aerospace propulsion, services, and systems leader with an installed base of approximately 49,000 commercial and 29,000 military aircraft engines. With a global team of approximately 53,000 employees building on more than a century of innovation and learning, GE Aerospace is committed to inventing the future of flight. More information is available at www.geaerospace.com.
