Low Cost Supersonic Expendable Turbine Engines

The Navy is currently in the second phase of a program to develop a supersonic turbojet engine for tactical missile applications. The engines have been designed for a single mission only and for lowest possible cost.

Three companies (AiResearch, Curtiss-Wright, and Pratt & Whitney Aircraft) are under contract to fabricate and test the critical components of their respective engine designs.

Each engine is described with emphasis on its low cost design features and fabrication techniques. The overall program status and available results of the current critical component phase are presented. Design requirements and problems unique to expendable turbine engine development are also discussed.