Quick Links Pratt & Whitney F135 Primary application: Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Pratt & Whitney F119 Primary application: Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor General Electric F110 Primary applications: Grumman F-14 Tomcat, McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle, Boeing F-15EX Eagle II, General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon General Electric F404 Primary applications: McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet, Northrop F-20 Tigershark, Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk Rolls-Royce F402 Pegasus Primary application: McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II Fighter jets are some of the most capable and robust aircraft in the skies. They are designed to be supermaneuverable while also flying at incredible speeds. As a result, fighter jets will need to be equipped with incredibly powerful engines, those capable of powering an aircraft to supersonic flight while also helping support the maneuverability required for fighter operations.
Get all the latest aviation news from Simple Flying! The jet engines that power America's fighter jets are typically built by legacy engine manufacturers, including Pratt & Whitney and General Electric, typically in collaboration with the primary contractor behind a given aircraft program. Unlike commercial jet engines, which may be used to power multiple different aircraft programs, military-grade jet engines are typically designed for a specific fighter jet and are not often applied to multiple programs (with some exceptions). Without robust engines capable of supporting them, fighter .
