Pratt and Whitney developing variable speed turbine for helicopter EAST HARTFORD, Conn., Nov. 28 (UPI) -- An advanced variable speed turbine to improve the flying range and lift of future U.S. Army helicopters is to be developed by Pratt and Whitney. Pratt and Whitney said its work comes under a program by the Army's Aviation Applied Technology Directorate -- in collaboration with NASA -- to develop turbine technology that improves performance, efficiency and affordability of rotorcraft engines. The goal is to develop power turbine that would enable medium-sized and large rotorcraft to efficiently hover at an altitude of as much as 10,000 feet and cruise at 25,000 feet. The program has set 2016 as its deadline to validate the Advanced Variable-Speed Power Turbine technology in a laboratory environment. "Pratt and Whitney looks forward to participating in the AVSPOT program and we're confident we will be able to meet the mission profile requirements needed for future rotorcraft engines," said Annette Jussaume, general manager, Small Military Engines. We have the technology know-how that will allow us to develop an efficient high-power turbine that can operate over a wide range of engine speeds.