The GEK800 turbofan, jointly developed by GE Aerospace and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, has been assigned the US military engine designation F143‑ZZ‑100 and awarded a US Air Force engineering, manufacturing, and development (EMD) contract as a second‑source propulsion system for the Joint Air‑to‑Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM).
The companies said the engine is intended to add to the missile’s propulsion supply base rather than replace it. The joint team has completed more than 50 engine starts during ground testing at Kratos and GE Aerospace facilities and completed altitude testing in 2025 at Purdue University’s Maurice J. Zucrow Laboratories.
