GE Aerospace has announced a new contract with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to move on to the next stage of developing a hypersonic test bed.

Under the Hypersonic and High-Cadence Airborne Testing Capabilities (HyCAT) program, GE Aerospace will be able to keep developing a liquid-fueled hypersonic test platform.

With plans for a combined booster and cruiser system in the works for this phase of development, GE Aerospace aims to produce an all-up-round (AUR) test bad that’s capable of hypersonic testing. This will also involve first qualification and component-level testing of key subsystems.

Since receiving its initial funding in 2023, the program has advanced through several milestones, such as:

• Subsystem refinement and evaluation (2024)
• Preliminary design review (2025)

Vice President and General Manager of Edison Works at GE Aerospace Steve “Doogie” Russell said, “Acceleration in this type of hypersonic testing are critical to advancing next-generation capabilities at speed and scale.”

Russell added, “This work with DIU builds on years of investment and progress, and we are proud to help deliver a flexible, responsive test solution to support national defense priorities.”