LE BOURGET - June 16, 2003 - GE Aircraft Engines' (GEAE) F110 and F404 military fighter engines are poised to further expand their worldwide presence through new platforms and technology.
F110 engine family: Initial deliveries of F110-GE-129 engines for the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) fighter program will occur later this year. The ROKAF selected GEAE's F110 fighter engine to power 40 new Boeing F-15K aircraft, launching the popular F110 on the twin-engine F-15 application. For almost two decades, GEAE's F110 engine family has been the best-selling engine for single-engine F-16C/Ds worldwide.
First flight test of F110-GE-132 engine, the highest-thrust fighter engine for the Lockheed Martin F-16E/F, was completed aboard a Block 50 aircraft modified for flight testing in April 2003. The higher-thrust F110-GE-132 was launched in 2000 with its selection for 80 Block 60 F-16E/F aircraft.
The F110-GE-132 is derived from the highly successful F110-GE-100 and F110-GE-129 engines powering 70 percent of the latest-generation F-16C/Ds worldwide. The F110-GE-132 will produce up to 32,500 pounds (144 kN) of thrust. A derivative version of the -132, under consideration for F-15 and F-16 applications, can potentially increase the life of the engine by 50 percent compared to previous designs.
The -132 will greatly enhance the F110 engine family, which continues to expand its global presence. Recently, the air forces of Chile and Oman selected the F110-GE-129 to power their new fleets of F-16C/D aircraft. In addition the F110 engine family has been selected to power F-16s for the United States Air Force (USAF), the United States Navy (USN), Bahrain, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, as well as Japan's F-2 fighter. More than 2,600 F110 engines have been ordered worldwide since the engine was first selected by the USAF in 1984.
Development of an ambitious Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) is funded in the USAF F110 Component Improvement Program (CIP). Starting with the highly successful CFM56-7 commercial core, the F110 SLEP program incorporates the military technology needed to upgrade the combustor, high pressure turbine, compressor and augmentor. These enhancements can help provide up to a 3X time-on-wing increase, significant decreases in cost-per-flying-hour and a 50 percent extension in engine phase inspections. Currently undergoing final design and development testing, delivery of SLEP hardware is tentatively planned for FY2006.
F404 engine family: F404 performance and reliability continue to set the standard for fighter engines. More than 3,700 F404 engines are in service, powering the aircraft of military services worldwide, including the F/A-18 Hornets of the U.S. Navy, plus the U.S. Marine Corps and the F-117 Stealth Fighters of the USAF. The F404-powered Hornets are also operated by the air forces of Australia, Canada, Finland, Kuwait, Malaysia, Spain and Switzerland. F404 derivatives also power Singapores A-4SU Super Skyhawk, Swedens JAS39 Gripen, and Koreas T-50. The F404 has more than 10 million flight hours of outstanding operating experience and is combat-proven.
Several international customers have selected the F404/RM12-powered JAS39 Gripen for their fighter replacement programs. South Africa has 28 Gripens on order, with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2005. Hungary has committed to lease and buy 14 Gripens from the Swedish Air Force beginning in 2005. In addition, the Gripen is a candidate in fighter competitions of several other countries.
Another derivative of the F404 engine, the F404-GE-102, powers the single-engine T-50 advanced jet trainer/light fighter. Successful first flight occurred in August 2002, with first supersonic flight following only six months later. Initial the T-50 delivery is scheduled for 2005. Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Lockheed Martin will produce the T-50 Golden Eagle for the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF), which has announced plans to procure 94 aircraft initially. KAI and Lockheed Martin have also formed T-50 International to jointly market the aircraft to potential export customers.
The F404-102D was selected by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and U.S. Air Force to power the X-45B Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV), currently under development by The Boeing Company. In addition to single-engine reliability features, low observable technology will also be incorporated into the engine, which is scheduled to fly in 2005.
The F404/F2J3 is powering the India Light Combat Aircraft (Tejas) during its flight test program. Indian defense officials have also expressed their intent to procure 50 F404 engines to power the initial Tejas production aircraft.
GEAE, an operating component of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), is the world's leading manufacturer of jet engines for civil and military aircraft, including engines produced by CFM International, a 50/50 joint company of Snecma Moteurs of France and GE. GEAE also manufactures gas turbines, derived from its highly successful jet engine programs, for marine and industrial applications. In addition, GEAE provides comprehensive maintenance support, through its GE Engine Services operation, for GE and non-GE jet engines in service throughout the world. Visit GEAE online at: http://www.geae.com.