StandardAero has completed the delivery of its 1,000th GE Aerospace J85-5 engine to the United States Air Force (USAF), supporting the T-38 Talon trainer aircraft fleet.
This development comes five years after StandardAero began its multi-year Engine Regional Repair Center contract with the USAF to provide maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services for the J85-5 engines used in these trainer jets.
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To mark the occasion of the 1,000th engine delivery, StandardAero held a ceremony at the Tech Port Center in Port San Antonio.
StandardAero’s military division in San Antonio vice president and general manager Rick Pataky said: “Supporting the USAF pilot training mission is a tremendous honour. Delivering 1,000 engines in such a short timeframe is a testament to the dedication and collaboration of our entire team.”
Originally designed in 1954, the J85-5 engine remains in use across several US military aircraft platforms.
According to current projections, it is expected to remain operational for US military purposes until at least 2040.
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By GlobalDataStandardAero conducts all J85-5 engine servicing at its Port San Antonio facility.
The site spans over 810,000ft² and supports five major engine MRO programmes which serve both military and commercial customers.
In addition to MRO activities, this location hosts an Aviation Mechanic Training Program that trains more than 200 mechanics each year.
StandardAero also services all other variants of the J85 engine at its Stockton, California, location.
It provides accessory and component repair for the USAF’s J85 Management of Items Subject to Repair (MISTR) system, a role it has fulfilled since 2013.
The Stockton facility also provides support for J85-21 engines used by the US Navy and by countries participating in Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programmes.
The J85 powerplant has seen use not only in trainer aircraft but also in other military applications such as the GAM-72 Green Quail missile decoy system installed on Boeing B-52 bombers and in the N156F Freedom Fighter aircraft, later designated as the F-5.
