CINCINNATI — September 1, 2026 — GE Aerospace (NYSE:GE) today announced it has been awarded a contract by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), part of the Department of War, to advance development of a hypersonic test bed under the Hypersonic and High-Cadence Airborne Testing Capabilities (HyCAT) program.
The award marks the next phase of development for a liquid-fueled hypersonic test platform, building on initial funding awarded in 2023 to support concept development and team formation. Under this latest phase, GE Aerospace will design and develop a combined booster and cruiser system, together forming an all-up-round (AUR) test bed, to enable hypersonic testing.
“Acceleration in this type of hypersonic testing are critical to advancing next-generation capabilities at speed and scale,” said Steve “Doogie” Russell, Vice President and General Manager of Edison Works at GE Aerospace. “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.”
Since 2023, the program has progressed through multiple development milestones. Following initial concept development, GE Aerospace advanced subsystem refinement and evaluation in 2024, and moved into preliminary design review of the all-up-round in 2025. This newly awarded phase in 2026 will focus on full integration of the AUR, along with first qualification and component-level testing of key subsystems.
###
About GE Aerospace
GE Aerospace is a global aerospace propulsion, services, and systems leader with an installed base of approximately 50,000 commercial and 30,000 military aircraft engines. With a global team of approximately 57,000 employees building on more than a century of innovation and learning, GE Aerospace is committed to inventing the future of flight, lifting people up, and bringing them home safely. Learn more about how GE Aerospace and its partners are defining flight for today, tomorrow, and the future at www.geaerospace.com.
GE Aerospace’s Edison Works is an advanced design, engineering, and technology organization within the company dedicated to developing the next generation of defense propulsion and systems. With a focus on rapid prototyping, digital engineering, and groundbreaking innovation, Edison Works is where GE Aerospace pushes the boundaries of what’s possible to define the future of flight.