Technological innovations spotlighted at Farnborough Airshow amid sustainability goals

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Technological innovations spotlighted at Farnborough Airshow amid sustainability goals

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Aviation International News | Aviation International News

By Sky Industry News

Jul 24, 2024

The Farnborough Airshow 2024 highlighted significant challenges facing the air transport and defense industries, emphasizing the need for technological advancements to address these issues. The air transport sector's primary challenge is achieving net-zero carbon emissions, while the defense industry focuses on integrating complex technologies to simplify warfare.

Engine manufacturers such as Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce, and CFM International (a partnership between GE and Safran) are at the forefront of efforts to improve fuel and energy efficiency in their turbofan engines. Rolls-Royce, for example, plans a 1% improvement in fuel burn efficiency for its Trent XWB-84 turbofan used in the Airbus A350-900 through modifications to the compressor system.

CFM has been advancing its Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines (RISE) program over the past three years, aiming to develop propulsion solutions for next-generation single-aisle airliners that could replace Boeing 737s and Airbus A320s. Companies are also exploring hybrid-electric powertrains for various aircraft sizes, from general aviation planes to regional airliners.

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RTX, which includes Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace, exemplifies this approach with programs like HECATE (hybrid-electric regional aircraft distribution technologies), STEP-Tech (scalable turboelectric powertrain technology), and SWITCH (sustainable water injection turbofan comprising hybrid electrics). These initiatives aim to increase power ratings from 500 kilowatts to 20 megawatts for future narrowbodies.

Airbus is considering hydrogen propulsion as part of its future strategy. The company is evaluating concepts from its ZeroE program to potentially deliver an aircraft capable of carrying 200 people over 2,000 nautical miles by 2035. Rolls-Royce is also exploring hydrogen as a fuel in one of its Pearl business jet engines.

Start-ups like ZeroAvia are working on converting existing regional airliners to hydrogen propulsion. Other companies such as Heart Aerospace and Maeve are developing clean-sheet aircraft with hybrid-electric propulsion systems for carrying 30 and 80 passengers, respectively.

In the defense sector, technological advancements are centered around the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), a sixth-generation fighter being developed by industries in the UK, Italy, and Japan. The GCAP fighter features advanced aerodynamics, more efficient engines, stealth capabilities, and sophisticated sensors including radar, infrared, and electronic warfare systems. These sensors provide high situational awareness by automatically fusing data within the system using artificial intelligence.

The GCAP fighter is designed to operate as part of a "system of systems," which includes uncrewed air vehicles known as loyal wingmen or remote carriers. These support missions by handling tasks deemed "dull, dirty, dangerous, and difficult." Data from various sources contribute to an overall network or "combat cloud," requiring extensive computing power and AI algorithms to convert it into actionable intelligence while delegating less critical tactical decisions.