GE Aerospace has received a US Air Force contract to complete the preliminary design review of the GE426 engine, a new propulsion system being developed for uncrewed autonomous combat aircraft.
The engine supports the Air Force’s medium-thrust Autonomous Collaborative Platform effort. GE said the GE426 is being designed for performance, affordability and manufacturability, with a focus on autonomous combat aircraft designed to operate collaboratively.
The company did not disclose the value of the contract.
Under the award, GE Aerospace will advance the GE426 prototype through the preliminary design review stage and refine the engine’s capability, producibility and cost against Air Force requirements.
GE said it completed the GE426 concept design review in August 2025, validating the engine architecture and moving the program into its next design phase.
“We’ve proven we can rapidly move from concept to engine demonstration with the GEK800, and our focus now is on applying that process to the GE426 to ensure it provides the performance, affordability, and readiness the warfighter needs,” said Steve “Doogie” Russell, Vice President and General Manager of Edison Works at GE Aerospace.
GE said the GE426 forms part of a broader investment in small, affordable engines for autonomous combat platforms, collaborative combat aircraft and other defense applications. The company’s portfolio also includes the GEK800 and GEK1500 engines, which GE is developing with San Diego-based Kratos Defense & Security Solutions.
GE Aerospace and Kratos received a separate $12.4 million US Air Force contract in February 2026 to design the GEK1500 engine for small Collaborative Combat Aircraft. The initial phase covers preliminary design work for a 1,500-pound-thrust engine