The Light Helicopter Turbine Engine Company (LHTEC), a 50-50 partnership between Honeywell International Inc. (NYSE: HON) and Rolls-Royce, has been selected by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) to provide propulsion engines for the Turkish Light Utility Helicopter (TLUH) programme.

TAI and LHTEC officials today signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the Paris Air Show and will now progress toward further discussions around a contract for CTS800 engines for the aircraft. Under the TLUH Programme, TAI will develop an indigenous 5-ton, twin-engine utility helicopter, which will initially be certified by EASA, and then converted with mission equipment for Turkish military use.The engine for TLUH will be the same model as those on the current T129 ATAK helicopters, with a commercialized version of the Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC).

“The experience behind the LHTEC partnership gives operators confidence in the CTS800 engine and assurance that the support will be there when they need it,” said Daryl Mastin, President, LHTEC. “With over 200,000 flight hours and a growing, global fleet, the CTS800 has become the engine of choice in its class, providing operators with exceptionally low fuel burn in a small, lightweight, high-power package. The CTS800 provides low-risk, reliable and cost-effective engine solutions to military helicopter operators worldwide.”

The CTS800 engine, which has class-leading Specific Fuel Consumption and power-to-weight ratio, is triple certified; by the U.S. Army for military use, the Federal Aviation Administration and European Aviation Safety Agency. The engine currently powers the British Army Lynx Mk9A, the Super Lynx 300 and the AW159 helicopters and was recently selected by the Brazilian Navy for the mid-life upgrade programme of itsMk21A Lynx maritime helicopters. The CTS800 also serves as the boundary layer compressor drive for the ShinMaywa US-2 amphibious search and rescue aircraft in Japan, and powered the Sikorsky X2 technology demonstrator aircraft.