Smiths Aerospace, part of the global technology business Smiths Group, has entered into a risk- and revenue-sharing program with GE Aviation. The program has a potential sales value to Smiths Aerospace of more than $60 million over its lifetime.
The program involves five F404 components that are manufactured at the Smiths Aerospace Components facility in
Peter Wright, president, Smiths Aerospace Components, said: “Smiths has proven technical capability and strong customer relations with GE Aviation. This risk- and revenue-sharing program represents a unique opportunity for Smiths to extend our participation on the F404 for the life of the program. We anticipate that the F404 will have decades of use in powering the F/A-18s.”
The performance and reliability of F404 engines have set the standard for modern fighter engines. The engine family powers multiple aircraft performing a broad spectrum of missions from low-level attack to high-altitude interceptors. In addition to powering the U.S. Navy’s fleet of F/A-18 A/B/C/D carrier-capable aircraft, the F404 is on other international aircraft such as the Swedish Gripen and Korean T-50 trainer. Some 3,700 of F404-GE-400 engine family have been built. The U.S. Navy inventory for the F404 is currently at more than 1,300 engines.
