Improved T901 Engine Installed in Bell 360 Invictus Competitive Prototype

Bell Textron Inc's Flight Research Center in Arlington, Texas, received the Army's T901 Improved Turbine Engine, a crucial step in the Future Attack and Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) competition.

The Bell team swiftly installed the engine on the Bell 360 Invictus prototype, having completed 96% of the build by early 2023.

Flight tests are approaching, scheduled for next year, following the engine installation.

The T901 engine, under development with GE for the Army, is expected to gain flight clearance in 2024.

As preparations for Bell 360's first flight progress, essential steps include functional testing, Test Readiness Review, and restrained ground runs, aligning with the Army's final testing for flight with the T901.

U.S. Army launched the Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP) to develop a new turboshaft engine to provide 50% more power and 25% better specific fuel consumption while reducing life cycle costs.