Hermeus has picked the Pratt & Whitney F100 turbofan to integrate into its larger hypersonic engine, keeping the Darkhorse program on track for engine testing in 2024.
Pratt & Whitney’s F100, which is used in the F-15 and F-16 aircraft, will act as the turbine portion of Hermeus’ turbine-based combined cycle engine named Chimera II.
Chimera II will power Hermeus’ aircraft, Darkhorse, a hypersonic uncrewed aerial system designed for defense and intelligence customers. The aircraft has multi-mission flexibility and is fully reusable.
Chris Johnson, VP of Fighter and Mobility Programs at Pratt & Whitney, said: “The F100 engine recently celebrated 50 years of service and 30 million flight hours, demonstrating its dependability and capabilities. Pratt & Whitney’s participation with Hermeus’ Darkhorse program is a great example of creating innovative partnerships in aviation and will play a crucial role in addressing our national security challenges.”
