March 14, 2005 -- EVENDALE, Ohio - The F110-GE-132 engine, the latest generation of GE F110 engines powering F-16 fighters, is supporting the U.S. Air Force's (USAF) Product Support F-16D aircraft used for production line assistance and customer demonstration flights.
Originally developed for the unique United Arab Emirates F-16E/F, the F110-GE-132 (32,000 pounds of thrust) now provides a higher-thrust option for Block 50 F-16 aircraft - the most advanced configuration in the USAF inventory.
"Deployment of the -132 in the Support Aircraft is a culmination of the outstanding efforts of the U.S. Air Force, GEAE and Lockheed Martin," said Al DiLibero, general manager of F110 engines at GE. "Feedback from the pilots has been extremely positive, and we are confident the outstanding performance of the -132 will be evident to customers worldwide."
The F110-GE-132 utilizes GEAE's extensive technology base, including: a long-chord blisk fan derived from the F118 engine, a radial afterburner derived from the F414 engine and enhanced for the F136 engine (Joint Strike Fighter), and a composite outer duct based on the F404 and F414 engines.
GE also has plans to infuse a core developed for its Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) on future versions of the -132 to increase durability and significantly improve time on wing. The USAF qualified the F110-GE-132 in September 2003.
For almost two decades, GEAE's F110 engine family has been the best-selling engine for single-engine F16C/Ds worldwide. More than 3,000 F110 engines have been ordered since the U.S. Air Force first selected the engine in 1984.
GE Transportation - Aircraft Engines, a part of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), is one of the world's leading manufacturers of jet engines for civil and military aircraft.
Rick Kennedy
GE Aviation
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