DISCONTINUED Attack Squadron 48061 F/A-18 C/D GE F404 Engine Nozzles

General Electric F404 is an American aviation turbojet engine with an afterburner from the Cold War and modern times. The first successful engine start-up took place in 1978, and serial production started shortly thereafter. In the F404-GE-402 version, the engine measures 390 cm in length with a diameter of 89 cm. The weight of the "dry" engine is 1035 kilograms. The thrust generated by the engine is 48.9 kN, and with the afterburner - 78.7 kN. The F404 engine was developed shortly after General Electric lost the competition to supply engines for the F-15 Eagle and the F-16 Fighting Falcon. In order to minimize the risk and reduce the costs of work on another power unit, the manufacturer decided to base its design on the YJ101 engine, which was developed for the Northrop YF-17 machine. It is also worth adding that the manufacturer has subjected the engine to very rigorous internal tests. Ultimately, the F404 engine turned out to be the basic propulsion unit for the F / A-18 C / D Hornet in-flight aircraft. It is characterized by relatively low fuel consumption, a good level of reliability and durability. It is worth adding that, apart from the F / A-18 C / D, the General Electric F404 engine was also used on many other aircraft, including: F-117 Nighthawk, Dassault Rafale A or KAI T-50 Golden Eagle. It also became the basis for the development of the F412 engine, used on the project of the A-12 Avenger II, which was not put into mass production.