US-based GE Aerospace has announced a historical feat, which is producing the preliminary design layout for a hypersonic ramjet engine in mere seconds.

The feat was made possible with the help of a generative artificial intelligence-powered app that was demonstrated by a team of AI researchers at the company. According to the team, the hypersonic ramjet engine’s primary design layout met all criteria for safe flight.

The development has come at a time when the United States Department of Defense (DoD) and the commercial aviation sector are prioritizing the speed of new developments to meet air travel demand. The company says it is trying out generative AI to keep pace with rising expectations by putting new tools and capabilities in engineers’ hands now.

Designing a hypersonic ramjet engine with generative AI

The team of researchers at GE Aerospace said that they were able to simultaneously account for multiple flight conditions and scenarios that a customer would typically outline to inform their hypersonic ramjet engine design. Using GE Aerospace’s generative AI app allowed engineers to reduce this early design study work from weeks and months to seconds in a day to arrive at a similar result.

“GE Aerospace is all-in on AI,” Joe Vinciquerra, General Manager and Senior Executive Director, GE Aerospace Research, said. “The use of generative AI to design a hypersonic speed ramjet is a great example of how we are bringing together AI science with decades of embedded know-how to shape the future of commercial and military jet engine technologies.”

He added that by using generative AI tools, GE Aerospace can significantly reduce design cycle times, “enabling us to be faster to test and ultimately faster to commercialize the best, most proven end product.”

The first preliminary design layout for a hypersonic ramjet engine is a strong proof point that shows AI’s potential to revolutionize the design process, he added.

GE Aerospace’s recent wins

Further, GE Aerospace researchers are also expanding the application of their innovative generative AI design app to accelerate commercial jet engine technologies through the CFM International Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines (RISE) program. The RISE program is advancing a suite of technologies, such as open fan architecture, for next-generation narrowbody engines.

Recently, GE Aerospace was awarded a US Air Force contract to complete the preliminary design review (PDR) for its new GE426 engine. The GE426 engine is a next-generation propulsion system purpose-built for the medium-thrust-class ACP mission, which is required for uncrewed, autonomous combat aircraft.

Apart from the large engines needed to power fighter jets and commercial planes, the company is also investing in small, affordable engines that can be produced at scale to power autonomous combat platforms, collaborative combat aircraft, and other advanced applications. While used in the first instance for initial design of a hypersonic ramjet engine, the new generative AI-enabled app can also be used to come up with new and better-performing designs for newer types of engines to power drones.

Earlier, the company had also cleared the XA102 adaptive cycle engine for assembly before it is integrated into the sixth-generation Boeing F-47 fighter jet.