GEK800 Turbofan Wins F143 Designation and JASSM Second-Source EMD Contract
The GEK800 engine developed by Kratos Defense and GE Aerospace has received the U.S. Military Engine Type Designation F143-ZZ-100 and an Engineering, Manufacturing and Development contract from the United States Air Force. The engine has been selected as a second-source propulsion system for the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, or JASSM. The award advances a program designed to deliver small, low-cost, high-performance engines for missiles and uncrewed platforms. The designation and contr
OST Staff · August 17, 2026
The GEK800 engine developed by Kratos Defense and GE Aerospace has received the U.S. Military Engine Type Designation F143-ZZ-100 and an Engineering, Manufacturing and Development contract from the United States Air Force. The engine has been selected as a second-source propulsion system for the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, or JASSM. The award advances a program designed to deliver small, low-cost, high-performance engines for missiles and uncrewed platforms.
The designation and contract mark the latest step in a program intended to supply propulsion for cruise missiles, collaborative combat-type aircraft, and other uncrewed aerial vehicles. Kratos and GE Aerospace began working together in 2023 to complete a Technology Maturation and Risk Reduction phase, drawing on internal investment plus support and funding from the Air Force Research Laboratory.
The GEK800, now designated the F143, is an 800-pound thrust turbofan engine built to power long-range missiles and other uncrewed applications. During the risk reduction phase, the joint team completed more than 50 engine starts in ground testing at Kratos and GE Aerospace facilities. In 2025, the engine successfully completed altitude testing at Purdue University's Maurice J. Zucrow Laboratories.
Amy Gowder, President and CEO of GE Aerospace Defense and Systems, said the F143-ZZ-100 designation and EMD award reflect the performance and capability of the GEK800 engine and the strength of the partnership with Kratos. She described the milestone as the result of years of disciplined engineering to deliver propulsion systems that meet evolving, mission-critical military requirements. Eric DeMarco, President and CEO of Kratos, said the company has been working with GE Aerospace and the United States Air Force to support the Department of War in reindustrializing U.S. manufacturing capacity for low-cost jet engines that can be produced rapidly and in large quantities for drones, cruise missiles, and other systems.
DeMarco added that Kratos and GE Aerospace are making significant investments with their government partners to support U.S. national security priorities. The companies characterized the effort as centered on affordability and rapid, high-volume manufacturing.
The advancement of the GEK800 into EMD establishes a second engine source for JASSM, which the companies say reduces single-supplier risk. Both firms framed the milestone as evidence of a maturing propulsion program aimed at meeting the military's requirements for affordable, rapidly manufacturable engines.
Next steps center on the Engineering, Manufacturing and Development phase now underway for the F143 as a second-source propulsion system for JASSM, following the completion of ground testing and the 2025 altitude testing at Purdue University's Maurice J. Zucrow Laboratories.