General Electric Secures $220 Million Deal for F414 Engines to Propel F/A-18 Production Forward
The U.S. Navy has awarded a modification contract to General Electric Co., recognized as the globe’s largest aircraft engine manufacturer, for F414 engines, as per the announcements from the U.S. Department of Defense.
General Electric has acquired a $219.9 million contract modification for the provision of 48 F414-GE-400 engines along with engine components to bolster the F/A-18 Super Hornet production line for the Navy, the DoD stated.
Per the stipulations of the contract, the work will be executed in Lynn, Massachusetts (59%); Hooksett, New Hampshire (18%); Rutland, Vermont (12%); and Madisonville, Kentucky (11%), with an anticipated completion date in August 2023.
It is also mentioned that the Naval Air Systems Command, located in Patuxent River, Maryland, is responsible for contracting activities.
As per GE, the F414-GE-400 integrates the established dependability, serviceability, and functionality of the successful F404 predecessor, enhanced with cutting-edge technologies, to grant the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet an increase of up to 35 percent in thrust, alongside notable enhancements in aircraft performance, survivability, and payload capacity.
Its straightforward, modular design guarantees reliability and ease of maintenance. The F414-GE-400 engines are also utilized in Boeing’s EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft, which is actively serving within the U.S. Navy’s fleet. Additionally, the F414-INS6 has been chosen by India’s Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) to power the MKII variant of the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft.
