Technical Qualities for Combat Helicopter Powerplants

The design of an engine for a combat helicopter requires special consideration beyond that for a commercial or utility machine. The highly specialised role of a weapons-delivery rotary wing platform demands an ability of the engine to exist in a most hostile environment whilst performing to the highest standards. Particular qualities demanded are responsiveness, stability, strength and low vulnerability and it is often thought that these can lead to a real compromise with the ideal qualities of a commercial engine viz: low weight, low cost and low fuel consumption. It is argued, however, that the benefits obtained from such a design can be very significant when viewed in terms of the life cycle costs even when used in less demanding roles.