GE Aerospace and Lockheed Martin have completed a series of propulsion tests demonstrating the feasibility of a liquid-fueled rotating detonation ramjet designed for future hypersonic missile systems. The milestone marks the first major outcome of a broader joint technology development effort between the two companies aimed at advancing affordable, long-range hypersonic strike capabilities.
Rotating detonation combustion offers significantly improved fuel efficiency with fewer complex moving parts than traditional turbofans or ramjet engines Credit: Lockheed Martin
According to the partners, the experimental engine architecture is intended to deliver higher speeds and longer range than conventional ramjet designs while reducing production complexity and operating costs. By using a compact rotating detonation layout, the propulsion system frees up internal volume within a missile airframe, allowing designers to allocate more space to fuel or payload. The simplified geometry also reduces manufacturing steps, a factor the companies say could significantly lower unit costs for large production runs.
At the core of the design is a shift away from traditional constant-pressure combustion. Instead, the engine burns fuel and air using detonation waves that continuously travel around an annular combustor. This rotating detonation process produces higher specific thrust and improved fuel efficiency, enabling sustained super- and hypersonic flight while keeping the engine smaller and lighter than conventional ramjets. Those characteristics directly translate into increased standoff range and greater flexibility in missile design.
Engineers involved in the program said the propulsion concept is also capable of igniting at lower incoming air speeds than typical ramjets. That capability would allow future weapons to rely on smaller, less expensive boosters to accelerate to ramjet takeover conditions, further reducing overall system cost and complexity.
Program officials describe the rotating detonation ramjet as well suited for engaging high-value, time-sensitive targets in heavily contested environments. High speed, extended reach and a compact form factor are intended to give military planners greater freedom in launch platform selection and flight routing, while preserving payload capacity for a range of mission-specific warhead options.
Mark Rettig, vice president and general manager of Edison Works Advanced Programs at GE Aerospace, said the results highlight rapid progress across the company’s hypersonic propulsion portfolio. “GE Aerospace’s hypersonic capabilities continue to advance at a rapid pace, and this collaboration with Lockheed Martin is another step forward in our journey,” Rettig said. “The testing on the rotating detonation ramjet and inlet exceeded expectations, and we are excited to continue maturing advanced air-breathing hypersonic propulsion technologies.”
Randy Crites, vice president and general manager at Lockheed Martin Advanced Programs, said the test campaign capped two years of internal investment and joint development work. He described the demonstration as evidence of how collaboration can accelerate delivery of relevant capability to the warfighter, noting that the compact ramjet leverages Lockheed Martin’s experience in ramjet inlet design to achieve extended range at extreme speeds in an increasingly challenging threat environment.
The tested configuration paired GE Aerospace’s rotating detonation combustor with a Lockheed Martin-designed tactical inlet that conditions high-speed airflow before it enters the engine. The inlet manages shock structures and pressure recovery across the flight envelope, enabling stable detonation wave combustion during cruise at super- and hypersonic speeds.
GE Aerospace conducted the test campaign at its research center in Niskayuna, New York, using a series of direct-connect tests. In these experiments, high-speed air was injected into the inlet to simulate supersonic flight at multiple Mach numbers and altitudes representative of future missile trajectories. Engineers also examined performance at high cruising altitudes, where thinner air makes sustained combustion more difficult. Successful operation under those conditions validated key aspects of the design needed for long-range, high-altitude flight.
With initial testing complete, the two companies plan to continue maturing the rotating detonation ramjet through 2026. Future efforts will focus on expanding the tested operating envelope, improving component durability and integrating the propulsion concept into notional missile designs for potential customers.
Add comment
Comments