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General Electric T64

General Electric Aviation · Aircraft Engine · USA · Early Jet (1946–1969)

General Electric T64 — Aircraft Engine
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The General Electric T64 is an American free-turbine engine in the 2,800-4,750 shp (2,100-3,540 kW) class, introduced in 1964 as the powerplant for heavy-lift helicopters and short-haul turboprop transports. The T64 was the engine that made the CH-53 Sea Stallion family possible — three T64-GE-416 engines power every CH-53E Super Stallion at a combined 13,140 shp, the heaviest installed turboshaft power in any Western helicopter until the CH-53K King Stallion replaced the T64 with the GE T408 in 2018.

GE developed the T64 in the late 1950s as a successor to the earlier T58 turboshaft, targeting nearly double the power output without doubling the engine size. The design uses a 14-stage all-axial compressor with four rows of variable stators, an annular combustor, a two-stage gas-generator turbine, and a two-stage free-power turbine driving forward through the engine to a front-mounted output shaft. This forward-power-shaft layout — opposite to the rear-output T58 — let Sikorsky package three T64s side-by-side in the CH-53E's compact engine nacelles. Compressor handling, the hardest part of any all-axial turboshaft design, is managed by the variable-stator rows that re-stagger compressor flow as throttle and altitude change.

The T64 entered service in 1964 on the Italian Fiat G.222 transport (a turboprop installation, the T64-P-4D at 3,400 shp) and on the U.S. Marine Corps CH-53A Sea Stallion (two T64-GE-6 at 2,850 shp each). Power grew through the variants: the T64-GE-413 reached 3,925 shp for the CH-53D, the T64-GE-415 hit 4,380 shp for the RH-53D minesweeper, and the T64-GE-416/-419 delivered 4,380-4,750 shp for the CH-53E Super Stallion and MH-53 Pave Low. The same gas-generator core, fitted with a propeller reduction gearbox, powered the Aeritalia G.222 and Kawasaki P-2J Neptune.

The T64-P-4D turboprop variant powered the Fiat / Aeritalia G.222 medium transport (two engines at 3,400 shp each) in service with the Italian Air Force, the Argentine Air Force, the Tunisian Air Force, Thailand, Venezuela, and 12 other operators. The C-27A Spartan U.S. Air Force variant of the G.222 also flew with T64s before the C-27J Spartan upgrade switched to the Rolls-Royce AE 2100. Production of the G.222 closed in the 1990s but the airframe remains in service.

Total T64 production reached around 3,200 engines by 2010 across all variants. GE Aviation now supports the in-service T64 fleet at the Lynn, Massachusetts plant with overhaul and spares, but the engine has been superseded by the much-higher-power GE T408 (7,500 shp) on the CH-53K King Stallion. The U.S. Marine Corps is transitioning from CH-53E to CH-53K through 2030, after which T64 production will likely close down entirely. The CH-53E and MH-53 fleets still flying in 2026 will continue to need T64 overhauls and spares well into the 2030s.

The T64 served in U.S. and allied combat operations throughout its career. CH-53 Sea Stallions flew rescue and heavy-lift missions in Vietnam (1967-1973), including the recovery of downed aircrews and the 1975 Mayaguez incident off Cambodia. MH-53J Pave Low IIIs led the opening helicopter strikes of Operation Desert Storm in January 1991, guiding U.S. Army Apache attack helicopters to take out Iraqi early-warning radars. CH-53E Super Stallions carried Marines and 26,000-lb sling loads through Iraq, Afghanistan, and humanitarian missions from the 1991 evacuation of U.S. embassy staff in Mogadishu to the 2010 Haiti earthquake response. The T64's combat record spans five decades of front-line use.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The General Electric T64 is an American engine made for big helicopters. It was first used in 1964. It gives helicopters a lot of power to lift very heavy loads.

The T64 powers the CH-53 Sea Stallion family of helicopters. The CH-53E Super Stallion uses three T64 engines at once. Together, those three engines make over 13,000 horsepower. That is a huge amount of power for a helicopter!

Engineers at GE designed the T64 in the late 1950s. They wanted nearly twice the power of the older engine without making it twice as big. The smart design lets three engines fit side by side in a tight space on the CH-53E.

Inside the T64, air is squeezed through 14 stages before it mixes with fuel and burns. Special moving parts called variable stators help the engine run smoothly. This makes the engine reliable and strong.

More than 3,200 T64 engines have been built since 1964. The engine also powered the Fiat G-222, a short-haul transport plane. The T64 was the most powerful turboshaft engine in any Western helicopter for many years — heavier than most car engines but smaller than a school bus.

Fun Facts

  • The T64 engine was first used in 1964 — over 60 years ago!
  • Three T64 engines on the CH-53E Super Stallion make more than 13,000 horsepower combined.
  • Engineers made the T64 produce nearly twice the power of the older T58 engine.
  • More than 3,200 T64 engines have been built since it launched.
  • The T64 is smaller than a school bus but packs an enormous amount of power.
  • Air passes through 14 stages inside the engine before it is burned with fuel.
  • The T64 also powered the Fiat G-222, a cargo plane used to carry people and supplies.
  • The CH-53K King Stallion replaced the T64 with a newer engine starting in 2018.

Kids’ Questions

What does the T64 engine do?

The T64 is a powerful engine that spins the rotor blades on big helicopters. It burns fuel to make lots of spinning force. That force lifts very heavy loads off the ground.

Why does the CH-53E need three engines?

The CH-53E Super Stallion is a very large and heavy helicopter. One engine alone would not give it enough power to lift big loads. Three T64 engines working together give it over 13,000 horsepower.

What are variable stators inside the engine?

Variable stators are special moving parts inside the engine. They help control how air flows through the engine. This keeps the engine running smoothly at different speeds.

Did the T64 power anything besides helicopters?

Yes! The T64 also powered the Fiat G-222, a turboprop transport plane. That plane was used to carry cargo and passengers on short trips.

Variants

T64-GE-6 (2,850 shp)
Original 1964 production variant for the U.S. Marine Corps CH-53A Sea Stallion. Two engines per airframe.
T64-GE-413 (3,925 shp)
Higher-rated variant for the CH-53D Sea Stallion and U.S. Air Force HH-53C Super Jolly Green Giant. The standard production T64 of the late 1960s and 1970s.
T64-GE-415 (4,380 shp)
Mine-warfare variant for the RH-53D Sea Stallion sweeper helicopter. Hot-section uprate over the -413.
T64-GE-416/-419 (4,380-4,750 shp)
Highest-output T64. Three engines on every CH-53E Super Stallion and MH-53E Sea Dragon. Three engines per airframe deliver 13,140 shp installed power.
T64-P-4D (3,400 shp turboprop)
Turboprop variant with a propeller reduction gearbox replacing the helicopter free-turbine output. Powered the Fiat / Aeritalia G.222 medium transport.

Notable Operators

Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion family
Two T64-GE-413 engines on the CH-53A/D and HH-53C, two T64-GE-415 on the RH-53D, three T64-GE-416/-419 on the CH-53E Super Stallion and MH-53E Sea Dragon. Total fleet roughly 250 airframes still flying in 2026.
Sikorsky MH-53 Pave Low
Three T64-GE-415 engines on the U.S. Air Force special-operations MH-53J/M Pave Low III/IV. Retired from U.S. Air Force service in 2008 and replaced by the CV-22 Osprey.
Fiat / Aeritalia G.222
Two T64-P-4D turboprop engines on the Italian medium transport. Around 100 G.222s served the Italian Air Force, U.S. Air Force (as C-27A Spartan, since retired), Argentina, Tunisia, Thailand, and Venezuela.
Kawasaki P-2J Neptune
Two T64-IHI-10 engines (licence-built by Ishikawajima-Harima) on the Japanese-built maritime patrol variant of the Lockheed P-2 Neptune. 82 built between 1969 and 1979; retired from JMSDF service in 1996.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why three engines on the CH-53E?

The CH-53E Super Stallion has a 36,000 lb (16,330 kg) maximum external lift requirement — the heaviest payload of any Western helicopter — and Sikorsky chose three T64 engines rather than two larger ones for two reasons: existing T64 production was mature and cheap, and engine-out performance with three engines is better than with two. Losing one of three engines costs only 33% of installed power, vs 50% with twin engines. NAVAIR documents the CH-53E layout.

How does the T64 compare to the T408 on the CH-53K?

The GE T408 on the CH-53K King Stallion delivers 7,500 shp per engine — 58% more than the highest-rated T64 — at 18% lower fuel burn and with FADEC. Three T408s give the CH-53K nearly 60% more installed power than the CH-53E. GE Aerospace describes the T408 as a clean-sheet engine, not a T64 derivative, sharing essentially no parts with the older engine.

Why does the T64 use a forward-output shaft?

The T64's power-turbine shaft passes through the centre of the high-pressure shaft (coaxial layout) and delivers torque to the front of the engine, not rearward like the earlier T58 turboshaft. This layout simplifies the airframe-engine integration for three-engine helicopters and removes the long external shaft and bevel-gear arrangements that earlier rear-output turboshafts needed. The same forward-output concept appears on the later T700.

What is the variable-stator system for?

The T64 has 4 rows of variable inlet guide vanes and stator vanes in its 14-stage compressor that re-stagger to match flow angle as the compressor speed changes. Without variable stators, a 14-stage all-axial compressor would suffer stall and surge at low power settings. The Wikipedia entry covers this design choice in detail; the same concept is now standard on every modern axial-compressor helicopter turboshaft.

Is the T64 still in production?

Production is now limited to spares and overhaul kits, not new-build engines. GE Aerospace continues to support the in-service CH-53E and MH-53E fleet through depot overhaul at Lynn, Massachusetts. With the U.S. Marine Corps transitioning to the CH-53K King Stallion through 2030, the T64 will exit front-line service by the mid-2030s. Around 3,200 T64 engines were built between 1964 and the 2000s.

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