CINCINNATI - GE Aerospace and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions have received a U.S. military engine type designation for their GEK800 turbofan and an Engineering, Manufacturing and Development (EMD) contract from the U.S. Air Force to develop the engine as a second-source propulsion system for the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM).
The GEK800 has received the military designation F143-ZZ-100. The 800-pound-thrust turbofan is designed for long-range missiles and other uncrewed applications, including collaborative combat aircraft and uncrewed aerial vehicles, GE Aerospace and Kratos say.
The EMD award follows a Technology Maturation and Risk Reduction (TMRR) effort that GE Aerospace and Kratos began in 2023 with internal investment and support from the Air Force Research Laboratory. The companies say the development effort has included more than 50 engine starts during ground testing at GE Aerospace and Kratos facilities.
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In 2025, the GEK800 completed altitude testing at Purdue University's Maurice J. Zucrow Laboratories. The testing covered an altitude range of 5,000 to 35,000 feet and included durability and engine-limits testing. GE Aerospace said the campaign identified rotor-speed limits and compressor-system boundaries while assessing engine operability under simulated flight conditions.
Thrust of the issue
The engine is part of a broader GE Aerospace and Kratos effort to develop small, affordable propulsion systems for cruise missiles and uncrewed aircraft. GE Aerospace says it is optimizing cost through a limited-life design approach and describes the GEK800 as a scalable architecture that can support an engine family ranging from roughly 800 to 3,000 pounds of thrust.
The GEK800 is also informing development of the larger GEK1500, a 1,500-pound-thrust engine that GE Aerospace and Kratos are developing for applications including collaborative combat aircraft. GE Aerospace says lessons from GEK800 altitude testing are being applied to the GEK1500 to improve thrust, electrical power generation and life-cycle cost.
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The JASSM application comes as the Air Force seeks to increase production of the long-range cruise missile. Air Force procurement documents identify an annual maximum production quantity of 860 JASSM missiles, while the fiscal 2027 budget request includes funding for the maximum annual lot quantity. JASSM and the Navy's Long Range Anti-Ship Missile share an assembly line and procurement contract.
The GEK800's EMD award does not represent production of JASSM missiles powered by the F143 or indicate that the engine has entered operational service. GE Aerospace and Kratos did not disclose the value or period of performance of the EMD contract.
