MELBOURNE, Fla., Sept. 10, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The General Electric CF6-80E1 engine destined for Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:NOC) KC-30 Tanker recently completed one million takeoff and landing cycles, illustrating the engine's reliability on the A330 aircraft.
The CF6-80E1 engine, produced by GE Aviation, was designed specifically for the Airbus A330-200 and -300 platforms and powers more than 140 aircraft in operation today with 18 operators worldwide. More than 82 percent of the CF6-80E1 propulsion system parts are manufactured in the United States.
"The GE CF6-80E1 engine is perfectly suited to power the KC-30 Tanker as illustrated by this significant milestone," said Paul Meyer, Northrop Grumman vice president and general manager of the KC-30 Tanker program. "The KC-30 offers the lowest risk for the Air Force's tanker replacement program because we continue to leverage proven, reliable and efficient systems for our tanker."
GE's CF6 engine has been among the most utilized and reliable jet engines powering more than 10 models of wide-body aircraft. The engine has established an unparalleled record of reliability and compiled more than 300 million flight-hours in service with more than 250 customers worldwide.
"Since entering service in 1994, the CF6-80E1 engine has proven to be extremely reliable for our customers, and we are very excited to celebrate the one million cycles achievement," said Colleen Athans, general manager of the CF6 Program for GE.
GE remains committed to the CF6-80E1 engine and continues to invest in technology improvements for the engine. These advancements, along with proactive maintenance and operational procedures, have increased the engine's time on-wing from 1,500 cycles to 2,500 cycles (67 percent increase) in the last four years All of these improvements result in increased life cycle cost benefits for CF6-80E1 operators. With more than 320 engines in service, the CF6-80E1 engine continues to attract customers with more than 35 CF6-80E1-powered A330 aircraft on order.
The KC-30 Tanker aircraft will be assembled in Mobile, Ala., and employ 25,000 American workers at 230 U.S. companies. It will be built by a world-class industrial team led by Northrop Grumman, and includes EADS North America, General Electric Aviation and Sargent Fletcher.
About the KC-30: Northrop Grumman's KC-30 Tanker carries 45,000 more pounds of fuel than a KC-135 or any competitor, providing a significant boost to the U.S. Air Force's global reach. The KC-30 is also designed to refuel Navy and coalition aircraft, and to serve as a multi-role transport aircraft to move passengers, cargo and medical evacuation patients. The KC-30 incorporates defense systems, precision fly-by-wire technology, and the ability to integrate a militarized communications suite and a global support network.
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a $30 billion global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.