Competitors for the U.S. Army’s Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) program have started the certification and installation process of the long-awaited engine, setting the stage for engine runs within about six months and first flights in a year.

Both Bell and Sikorsky on Oct. 20 received GE Aerospace T901 engines from the U.S. Army, the service announced. The Army in an announcement says ground runs are expected in the second quarter of fiscal 2024 and first flights in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2024.

Upcoming developmental testing of the engines includes the completion of system level Preliminary Flight Rating testing, which enables an airworthiness release, the service says. This testing is underway at GE facilities and is expected to be completed for the demonstration flights next year.

Sikorsky’s parent company Lockheed Martin on Oct. 24 announced it was beginning the installation process of the engine on its Raider X at its facility in West Palm Beach, Florida. Engine integration is the final phase of production for the Raider X, which is about 98% complete. The first step is installing additional instrumentation, following by installing the power plant itself and then final system checkouts and tests, the company says.

“Lockheed Martin’s model-based systems engineering approach gives the Sikorsky team confidence in this final phase of the Raider X build, which brings us one step closer to completing this weapon system that will match the rapid pace of the reconnaissance mission,” Future Vertical Lift Vice President Andy Adams said in an announcement.

In a statement to Aerospace DAILY, Bell said its team checked the engine’s condition and operation of the instrumentation and installed the engine.