The GEK800 turbofan, jointly developed by GE Aerospace and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, has been assigned the US military engine type designation F143-ZZ-100 and has been awarded a US Air Force contract for engineering, manufacturing, and development (EMD) as a second-source propulsion system for the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM).
Neither company disclosed the value of the contract, its duration, or a target production date.
F143 adds a second propulsion source for JASSM
The companies described the engine as a second source for JASSM, meaning it is intended to add to the missile’s propulsion supply base rather than displace it.
The AGM-158B JASSM-ER is powered by the Williams International F107-WR-105 turbofan, while the baseline AGM-158A used a Teledyne CAE J402-CA-100 turbojet. The F143 is an 800-pound-thrust turbofan that GE Aerospace said is designed for long-range missiles and other uncrewed applications.
The award comes amid a broader US Air Force effort to expand its standoff-strike inventory. In April 2026, the service issued a request for information for FAMM-BAR, a low-cost cruise missile it wants to buy at 1,000 to 2,000 units per year, to sit alongside more expensive weapons such as JASSM-ER and the AGM-158 XR.
More than 50 test starts completed since 2023
GE Aerospace said the two companies began working together in 2023 on a Technology Maturation and Risk Reduction (TMRR) phase, funded through a combination of internal investment and support from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).
The joint team has completed more than 50 engine starts during ground testing at Kratos and GE Aerospace facilities and has completed altitude testing in 2025 at Purdue University’s Maurice J. Zucrow Laboratories.
Amy Gowder, president and CEO of GE Aerospace Defense & Systems, said in the release that the designation and award reflected “years of disciplined engineering”.
Kratos president and CEO Eric DeMarco framed the work as part of a push to rebuild US capacity to manufacture low-cost jet engines in large quantities for drones and cruise missiles.
GE expands its engine family for uncrewed platforms
The GEK800 is the smallest of three engines GE Aerospace is developing for uncrewed and expendable platforms.
The company and Kratos received a $12.4 million US Air Force contract in February 2026 for preliminary design of the 1,500-pound-thrust GEK1500, and GE Aerospace won a separate award in May 2026 to take the medium-thrust GE426 through preliminary design review.