Re-fired gas turbine engine

A gas turbine engine comprising, in flow series:

• a) a multi-stage compressor for compressing air to a high pressure,
• b) a first combustor having fuel injection means for burning fuel together with the high pressure air supplied from the compressor to form combustion products, the air supplied to the first combustor during operation of the engine being in excess of that required for complete combustion of the fuel,
• c) a high pressure turbine for being driven by the combustion products from the first combustor to form exhaust gases,
• d) a second combustor having fuel injection means for burning further fuel together with the exhaust gases of the high pressure turbine to form combustion products, thereby to consume the excess air,
• e) a lower pressure turbine comprising turbine components that require cooling during operation of the engine,
• f) means for tapping off a supply of cooling air from an intermediate stage of the compressor and supplying it to the turbine components that require cooling in the lower pressure turbine without first passing the cooling air through components in the high pressure turbine,
• g) means for supplying the second combustor with at least a portion of the cooling air after it has passed through the lower pressure turbine components, and
• h) means for supplying sufficient fuel to the second combustor to burn therein with the portion of cooling air.