Swiss aerospace and defence company has received SAR (Source Approval Request) approval for maintenance and repair work on J85-GE21 engines for the federal government of the United States of America. Only suppliers with SAR approval are taken into consideration for tenders and contracts of the U.S. Department of Defense. With SAR approval for complete engines in the field of F-5 services, RUAG will continue to secure its strategic partnership with its customers in the long term and provide high-quality services.
The SAR approval for maintenance, repair and overhaul work on J85-G21 engines, which are used in Swiss Air Force F-5 fighter jets in particular, is a unique seal of quality for RUAG that is based on proven technical competence and long-standing expertise. It was granted by the U.S. Department of Defense and will be valid for several years. Only suppliers that have SAR approval are taken into consideration for tenders and contracts of the U.S. Department of Defense and for third parties (foreign military sales).
The General Electric J85 is a small single-shaft turbojet engine. Military versions produce up to 2,950 lbf (13.1 kN) of thrust dry; afterburning variants can reach up to 5,000 lbf (22 kN). The engine, depending upon additional equipment and specific model, weighs from 300 to 500 pounds (140 to 230 kg). It is one of GE’s most successful and longest in service military jet engines, with the civilian versions having logged over 16.5 million hours of operation. The United States Air Force plans to continue using the J85 in aircraft through 2040.
The F-5 is a low-wing monoplane equipped with an all-moving horizontal tall mounted in the low position; the fuselage is carefully contoured in accordance with the transonic area rule. Small side-mounted inlets supply air for the two General Electric J85 afterburning turbojet engines. Several variants were produced. More than 12,000 J85 engines had been built by the time production ended in 1988. The J85-G21 variant added a stage ahead of the base 8-stage compressor for a total of 9 stages, improving thrust.
