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GE: Powering the Planes of the Middle East

November 20, 2005

DUBAI - Aircraft powered by jet engines from GE play a significant role in the Middle East, where more than 4,000 GE and CFM* engines are in service with airlines and armed forces in the region. 

"The Middle East aviation industry has experienced substantial growth in recent years, and GE has been very dynamic in playing an important role in this growth," said Muhammad Al-Lamadani, regional sales manager for GE - Aviation. "With more than 500 GE and CFM commercial engines in operation, on order and awaiting delivery, GE's presence in the region will continue to expand as the company invests in the region's technical capability and infrastructure." 

Highlights on GE engines flown in the Middle East: 

- GE90: The world's largest and most powerful engine, the GE90 coupled proven technology and reliability features of commercial and military engine programs with technology advancements, such as a high-pressure-ratio compressor and composite fan blade technology. Powering Boeing's 777 aircraft, the GE90 engine family has grown to include several derivatives and has set a world's record at 127,900 pounds of thrust with its latest engine, the GE90-115B. Emirates Airlines ordered 30 Boeing 777-300ER aircraft powered by GE90-115B engines. This spring, seven of these aircraft were delivered. The GE90 is part of GE's "ecomagination" products portfolio, GE's commitment to develop new, cost-effective technologies that will enhance customers' environmental and operating performance. 

- GP7200: The Engine Alliance, a joint venture between GE and Pratt & Whitney, created the GP7200 engine, which is built upon the heritage of the highly successful GE90 and PW4000 families. Certification testing on the GP7200 engine is complete. Emirates Airlines, the largest customer for the Airbus A380 and the Engine Alliance, will operate 45 aircraft and a total of 199 GP7200 engines. Emirates will also be the first airline to put the GP7200 engine into service in 2007. To manage the new engine fleet, Emirates is building a jet engine testing facility, designed and financed in cooperation with GE. Opening in 2007, the testing facility will be one of the world's largest and most sophisticated, capable of testing aircraft engines at up to 150,000 pounds of thrust. 

- GEnx: The GEnx engine, which will power the Airbus A350 and the Boeing 787 and 747 Advanced aircraft, combines proven technologies with breakthrough innovations. Based on the architecture of the GE90, the GEnx will succeed GE's CF6 engine, the best-selling engine for wide-body aircraft. Compared to the CF6, the GEnx will offer 15 percent improved fuel efficiency, lower noise levels and reduced exhaust (Nox) emissions. The GEnx is the world's only jet engine with both a front fan case and fan blades made of composites for greater durability and weight reduction. The first full GEnx engine begins testing next year, with engine certification scheduled for 2007. The GEnx enters service in 2008. Qatar Airways signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to purchase GEnx engines for 60 Airbus A350 aircraft. ALAFCO Aviation Lease and Finance Company has signed a MoU for the purchase of 12 firm, six option Airbus A350 aircraft powered by GEnx engines. GE is actively pursuing additional orders for this engine. The GEnx is also part of GE's "ecomagination" products portfolio. 

- CF34: The CF34 sparked one of the most important events in commercial aviation - the introduction of the regional jet. Since entering service in 1983, the CF34 engine has earned an industry-leading reputation as one of the cleanest and most fuel-efficient engines in its class, with excellent performance margin, durability and a high level of reliability. The engine family has grown from the CF34-3, which powers nearly 1,000 50-passenger Bombardier CRJ100 and CRJ200 aircraft, to the CF34-8, which powers the Bombardier CRJ700 and CRJ900 and the EMBRAER 170 aircraft and the CF34-10, which powers the EMBRAER 190 aircraft. The other member of the CF34-10 family, the CF34-10A, will power China's ARJ21 regional jet. In April 2005, Saudi Arabian Airlines became the first Middle East airline to order 15 EMBRAER 170 aircraft. 

- F110: GE's F110 engine family has been the best-selling engine for Lockheed Martin's single-engine F-16C/Ds worldwide and has been selected to power the twin-engine F-15 application. With a reputation for stall-free operation, the F110 is designed to provide significantly higher performance, greatly improved reliability and sharply reduced operation and support costs. The latest engine in the family, the F110-GE-132 which powers the F-16E/F, is derived from the highly successful F110-GE-100 and F110-GE-129 engines that power 70 percent of the latest-generation F-16C/Ds worldwide. More than 3,000 F110 engines have been ordered since the engine was introduced in 1984. Turkey, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Oman operate F110 engines in the Middle East. 

- F404: The F404 is a standard for modern fighter aircraft, offering high performance and reliability with multi-mission capabilities. More than 4,000 F404 engines have accumulated more than 11 million engine flight-hours powering F/A-18 Hornets and F-117A Stealth Fighters for the United States, as well as Hornets for the Kuwait Air Force and other international air forces. F404 engines power India's Light Combat Aircraft, Singapore's A-4SU Super Skyhawk and Sweden's JAS39 Gripen. The newest F404 derivative to enter production is the F404-GE-102 engine that powers the Korea Aerospace Industries T-50 Golden Eagle advanced jet trainer for the Republic of Korea Air Force. The F404-GE-102 incorporates single-engine redundancy and reliability features, plus an advanced FADEC (full authority digital electronic control). 

- T700/CT7: GE continues to enhance the performance, reliability and durability of its T700/CT7 engine family while developing new, more powerful models to meet current and future requirements. CT7 technical advances include an advanced, higher-flow compressor designed with new 3D Aero technology, a modern FADEC, plus hot-section and turbine components proven in millions of flight hours on GE's family of turboshaft engines. The newest configuration, the T700–701D, incorporates hot section durability improvements for a 5 percent increase in power and added hot section life. The T700/CT7 family has amassed more than 50 million flight hours, powering 26 different models in service throughout the world, and T700-powered aircraft accounted for nearly 70 percent of the U.S. Army's flight hours in Operation Iraqi Freedom. 

GE - Aviation, an operating unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), is one of the world's leading manufacturers of jet engines for civil and military aircraft. GE also is a global provider of maintenance and support services for operators of GE jet engines. 

*CFM International is a 50/50 joint company between Snecma and General Electric Company.