The US Air Force (USAF) has awarded GE Aerospace (GE) a contract to complete the preliminary design review (PDR) of the GE426 engine.
This contract forms part of the service’s efforts to develop a medium thrust class Autonomous Collaborative Platform (ACP), focusing on uncrewed and autonomous combat aircraft.
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GE Aerospace’S GE426 engine is designed specifically for medium-thrust-class ACP missions and aims to meet the performance, cost, and manufacturability parameters outlined by the Air Force.
The latest contract will take the GE426 through the PDR stage, further advancing its engineering maturity and ensuring alignment with Air Force operational requirements.
In the lead-up to this stage, GE Aerospace completed a concept design review for the GE426 engine in August 2025.
This review established validation for the engine’s architecture and marked a step forward in its overall design process.
The Air Force Research Laboratory’s ACP programme aims to develop autonomous systems capable of operating in coordination with both uncrewed and crewed aircraft.
GE Aerospace is using advanced manufacturing processes, digital engineering resources, and its extensive experience in propulsion technology to develop engines designed to address the specific needs of autonomous combat platforms.
The company said it continue to direct investment towards small engines that support a range of autonomous and collaborative combat platforms. Its portfolio includes the GEK800 and GEK1500 engines in ongoing development with Kratos Defense & Security Solutions.
