GE Aerospace secured a contract to develop a Mach 5 dual-mode ramjet demonstrator for the Pentagon. The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) issued the award under its Hypersonic and High-Cadence Airborne Testing Capabilities (HyCAT) program.
The project, named Derecho, focuses on an air-breathing engine designed for efficiency across a wide range of high speeds. This technology serves as a foundation for next-generation hypersonic weapons and aircraft.
The win builds on GE's acquisition of specialist company Innoveering. It also leverages the company's previous research into rotating detonation combustion to accelerate hypersonic flight development.