Paris Air Show 2025: Honeywell APU and cooling system selected by Bell Textron for FLRAA

Honeywell announced at the Paris Air Show on 16 June 2025 that Bell Textron has selected a version of Honeywell’s proven 36-150 auxiliary power unit (APU), along with the Honeywell Attune cooling solution, for the US Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA).

The 36-150 APU enhances mission readiness and flexibility of aircraft operations by providing a secondary source of electrical and hydraulic power, while Honeywell Attune is a lightweight, low-maintenance and energy-efficient thermal management system that uses advanced technology to generate cold air or liquid to cool cabins and electronic components.

The FLRAA APU is a derivative of Honeywell’s successful 36-150 APU model series, which has demonstrated industry leading reliability and fuel efficiency. Honeywell has delivered over 10,000 36-150 APUs for over 20 commercial and military applications since the system’s initial entry into service. Versions of the 36-150 APU are currently in active service on the US Army’s fleet of UH-60 Black Hawk and AH-64 Apache helicopters.

Dave Marinick, president for Engines & Power Systems at Honeywell Aerospace Technologies, told ESD on 17 June, “The 36-150 APU was uniquely adapted to meet the installation and specification requirements of the FLRAA platform. The APU provides both electric and hydraulic power in this installation and serves as a reliable backup power source up to 23,000 ft. This version of the APU is providing more mechanical power that any previous 36-150 offering.”

Honeywell Attune, meanwhile, is Honeywell’s latest innovation of high-density cooling technologies.

“Capitalising on decades of experience producing industry-leading air cycle systems, Honeywell has developed Honeywell Attune with weight, size, and power advantages over traditional systems,” the company stated in a press release. “Honeywell Attune is up to 35% lighter and 20% more efficient than conventional systems with comparable cooling capacity.”