U.S. Navy exercises contract option for 52 F414 engines

The U.S. Navy exercised a 2013 contract option for the procurement of 52 GE F414 engines in support of the Navy’s planned procurement of F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers. This contract option follows the Navy’s decision to purchase 82 F414 engines earlier this year. Options for the Navy could increase the total buy to more than 200 engines through 2013. The contract, with all options, is valued at more than $800m. The F414 engine powers the U.S. Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft. More than 1,200 F414 engines totaling two million flight hours power more than 500 aircraft in the fleet. The F414 engine is rated at 22,000 pounds (98 kN) thrust and is in the 9:1 thrust-to-weight ratio class.