GE Aerospace And Kratos Sign $12.4 Million Contract To Create 1,500-Pound Stealth Engine That Could Redefine U.S. Combat Drones

Written by Jefferson Augusto

Published on 23/02/2026 at 15:18

Updated on 23/02/2026 at 15:20

GEK1500 terá empuxo de 1.500 libras para UAS e mísseis.

1 person reacted to this.

New GEK1500 Engine Boosts Collaborative Aircraft and Reinforces American Low-Cost High-Scale Military Strategy

GE Aerospace and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions announced a joint contract with the United States Air Force worth US$ 12.4 million. The goal is to develop a next-generation engine for small combat collaborative aircraft (CCA).

This agreement marks a significant advancement in American military strategy. Additionally, it reinforces the investment in stealth and scalable unmanned aerial systems.

The initial phase of the program aims to complete the preliminary design of the GEK1500 engine. The team needs to meet rigorous performance requirements. At the same time, it must meet aggressive cost targets for mass production.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

GEK1500 Delivers 1,500 Pounds of Thrust for Drones and Missiles

The GEK1500 is a jet engine with 1,500 pounds of thrust. It will be able to equip unmanned aerial systems (UAS), combat collaborative aircraft, and missiles.

Furthermore, the project leverages the architecture of the GEK800, originally developed for cruise missiles. Currently, this engine is in an advanced stage of technical maturation.

Stacey Rock, president of the Turbine Technologies Division at Kratos, emphasized that the development strengthens the company’s ability to produce high-performance engines quickly. According to her, the team remains committed to reducing costs.

For his part, Steve “Doogie” Russell, vice president of Edison Works at GE Aerospace, stated that recent altitude tests on the GEK800 yielded valuable insights. This data is now being directly applied to the GEK1500.

Consequently, the new engine is expected to deliver greater thrust, better electrical power generation, and lower life-cycle costs. In addition, the project aims to meet stringent deadlines.

The contract includes an additional option. If activated, it will allow for the assessment of critical risks and the testing of engine performance in real flight and installation conditions.

American Strategy Prioritizes Affordable Engines and Accelerated Production

The United States Air Force prioritizes high-performance engines at low cost. This strategy is central to enabling the disruptive capabilities of small CCA.

Recent altitude tests with the GEK800 demonstrated increased range and thrust. Additionally, they reduced life-cycle costs and enhanced electrical power generation.

These advancements are expected to reduce costs and timelines for the GEK1500. Therefore, the program is likely to accelerate its entry into operation.

In June, GE Aerospace and Kratos formalized a technological cooperation agreement. The objective was to drive propulsion systems for affordable drones and CCA aircraft. This understanding expanded a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2024.

Kratos has over 25 years of experience in developing compact engines for UAS, drones, and missiles. Meanwhile, GE Aerospace boasts a century of experience in propulsion technology.

Furthermore, GE has the capability to scale projects for high-cadence production. This facilitates the transition from prototypes to large-scale operation.

Thus, the partnership combines established industrial experience with military innovation. The ultimate goal is clear: to create stealthy collaborative drones that operate alongside manned fighters.

In this way, the GEK1500 could become a key component in the next generation of combat air systems for the United States.

Do you believe that stealth collaborative drones could completely change the way air wars will be fought in the coming decades?

GE Aerospace And Kratos Sign $12.4 Million Contract To Create 1,500-Pound Stealth Engine That Could Redefine U.S. Combat Drones

New GEK1500 Engine Boosts Collaborative Aircraft and Reinforces American Low-Cost High-Scale Military Strategy

GEK1500 Delivers 1,500 Pounds of Thrust for Drones and Missiles

American Strategy Prioritizes Affordable Engines and Accelerated Production

Forget petroleum-based asphalt: a Scottish company transforms 684,000 plastic bottles into one kilometer of road that is 60% more resistant and up to 10 times more durable, and the technology has already started replacing traditional asphalt in more than 30 countries.

With billions in loans, China is rebuilding Nigeria’s railway network from scratch, abandoning the British colonial tracks that have turned to scrap and creating a corridor of over 1,300 km to take the load off the roads of Africa’s largest economy.

Austrian engineers have developed an inflatable concrete technology that transforms flat slabs into domes using only air pressure, eliminating scaffolding and temporary forms, and potentially changing the way bridges, tunnels, and curved roofs are constructed worldwide.

Australia prepares to dredge 96.5 million m³ in Moreton Bay to deepen, widen, and realign channels of the Port of Brisbane, in a project of up to 25 years designed to accommodate larger ships and enhance maritime safety and regional port efficiency.

Study solves great ancient mystery: remains of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, are identified in Vergina and resolves the enigma of the Macedonian royal tombs that had lasted half a century.

Larger than the Toyota Hilux and with a towing capacity of 3.5 tons, the new MG U9 2026 features a 2.5 turbodiesel engine, 520 Nm, 4×4 traction with three locks, and an almost full-size build.

For the first time in history, a submarine cable will descend to four thousand meters deep under the ice of the North Pole to ensure that the internet between Europe and Asia no longer depends on conflict zones in the Middle East.

While the world discusses geopolitics, China is quietly closing a deal with its Kazakh neighbor to secure grain supplies during any global food crisis, with more than 3,600 Kazakh companies already able to export directly to the Chinese market.

A British company has installed in the middle of the ocean the world’s first floating platform that generates electricity 24 hours a day from the temperature difference between the surface and the depths of the Atlantic, without relying on wind or sun.

Amid the United States’ economic blockade, China delivers 15,000 tons of rice to Cuba as part of a 60,000-ton donation personally approved by Xi Jinping. The package includes 80 million dollars and solar panels for hospitals.

The James Webb telescope spotted a planet 700 light-years from Earth with mornings full of sand clouds and nights with clear skies, the temperature difference between the two hemispheres reaches an impressive 170 degrees.

GE Aerospace And Kratos Sign $12.4 Million Contract To Create 1,500-Pound Stealth Engine That Could Redefine U.S. Combat Drones

New GEK1500 Engine Boosts Collaborative Aircraft and Reinforces American Low-Cost High-Scale Military Strategy

GEK1500 Delivers 1,500 Pounds of Thrust for Drones and Missiles

American Strategy Prioritizes Affordable Engines and Accelerated Production

Forget petroleum-based asphalt: a Scottish company transforms 684,000 plastic bottles into one kilometer of road that is 60% more resistant and up to 10 times more durable, and the technology has already started replacing traditional asphalt in more than 30 countries.

With billions in loans, China is rebuilding Nigeria’s railway network from scratch, abandoning the British colonial tracks that have turned to scrap and creating a corridor of over 1,300 km to take the load off the roads of Africa’s largest economy.

Austrian engineers have developed an inflatable concrete technology that transforms flat slabs into domes using only air pressure, eliminating scaffolding and temporary forms, and potentially changing the way bridges, tunnels, and curved roofs are constructed worldwide.

Australia prepares to dredge 96.5 million m³ in Moreton Bay to deepen, widen, and realign channels of the Port of Brisbane, in a project of up to 25 years designed to accommodate larger ships and enhance maritime safety and regional port efficiency.

Study solves great ancient mystery: remains of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great, are identified in Vergina and resolves the enigma of the Macedonian royal tombs that had lasted half a century.

Larger than the Toyota Hilux and with a towing capacity of 3.5 tons, the new MG U9 2026 features a 2.5 turbodiesel engine, 520 Nm, 4×4 traction with three locks, and an almost full-size build.

The Brazilian Army is about to finalize one of the largest military purchases in recent years with Italy, consisting of 96 Centauro 2 armored vehicles with 120 mm cannons and three anti-aircraft batteries unprecedented in the country, including armed drones under negotiation.

Students drop out of ESA after reports of sergeants driving for Uber, and a silent crisis in the Armed Forces begins to worry candidates in 2026

More than 500 Marines, robots, drones, and armored vehicles are deployed in Rio de Janeiro for the UN to certify Brazil at the highest level of readiness for peacekeeping missions. It is the first force in the country to achieve this status in all of history.

With 24-meter wings, two turbodiesel engines, 49 hours of autonomy, and the ability to launch sonobuoys to hunt submarines, the Turkish drone Aksungur can monitor an area the size of Brazil for two consecutive days without landing.

For the first time in history, a submarine cable will descend to four thousand meters deep under the ice of the North Pole to ensure that the internet between Europe and Asia no longer depends on conflict zones in the Middle East.

While the world discusses geopolitics, China is quietly closing a deal with its Kazakh neighbor to secure grain supplies during any global food crisis, with more than 3,600 Kazakh companies already able to export directly to the Chinese market.

A British company has installed in the middle of the ocean the world’s first floating platform that generates electricity 24 hours a day from the temperature difference between the surface and the depths of the Atlantic, without relying on wind or sun.

Amid the United States’ economic blockade, China delivers 15,000 tons of rice to Cuba as part of a 60,000-ton donation personally approved by Xi Jinping. The package includes 80 million dollars and solar panels for hospitals.

The James Webb telescope spotted a planet 700 light-years from Earth with mornings full of sand clouds and nights with clear skies, the temperature difference between the two hemispheres reaches an impressive 170 degrees.