EVENDALE, Ohio - General Electric Company's Aircraft Engines business expects revenues in 2005 to reach a record $13 billion. 

The record revenues are being driven by stronger commercial engine deliveries, higher utilization of GE- and CFM-powered commercial aircraft in airline service, and higher utilization of GE military engines worldwide. 

This year's growth follows a strong 2004 financial year for the Aircraft Engines business, when revenues grew to $12.55 billion, up from $10.97 billion in 2003. 

GE Transportation, which includes both the Aircraft Engines and Rail businesses, anticipates total 2005 revenues of approximately $16.5 billion. 

At the same time, the Aircraft Engines business continues on the most aggressive technology development path in its history. Since 2001, the Aircraft Engines business has invested approximately $1 billion annually in research and development, and that figure will grow to $1.2 billion in 2005. 

"These investments focus on new engines as well as on technology upgrades to engines in service," said Dave Calhoun, president and CEO of GE Transportation, on the eve of the Paris Air Show. "We continue to focus on our customers' profitability by improving the life-cycle costs of GE and CFM engines already in their inventory." 

The number of jet engines in service from GE and CFM International, a 50/50 joint company of GE and Snecma Moteurs, is approaching 18,000 engines. By 2015, there will be almost 30,000 GE and CFM engines in airline service. This growing installed base of engines drives future revenues and earnings, which, in turn, fuel new technology programs. 

Several new engine programs from GE and its partnerships are entering service or are in full-scale development. They include: 

GEnx: Launched on the Boeing 787 and the Airbus 350, and selected for the proposed Boeing 747 Advanced, the GEnx engine is on schedule for its first full engine test in 2006. The GEnx will enter service on the Boeing 787 in 2008. 

GP7200: The market leader on the Airbus A380 with almost 300 engines sold, the GP7200 will enter service on the A380 in 2006. The engine is being developed by the Engine Alliance, a joint company of GE and Pratt & Whitney. 

CF34-10: Developed for the EMBRAER 190, the CF34-10E, the newest member of the CF34 engine family, was recently certified and will enter airline service later this year. The CF34-10A will power China's ARJ regional jet later this decade. 

F136: The GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine team this year successfully completed a series of ground tests on F136 engine prototypes for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program. The Team has submitted its proposal for a new multi-year System Development and Demonstration (SDD) contract award. The JSF Program Office is expected to award the SDD contract for the F136 in August 2005. 

HF118: In 2004, GE and Honda Motor Company formed GE Honda Aero Engines to develop a family of engines for light business jets. The company recently completed component and engine core tests to validate several new enhancements to the performance of its HF118 turbofan engine. 

While introducing new engines into service, GE continues to develop upgrade packages across its commercial and military product lines, including upgrades for the CFM56 and CF34 commercial engines, as well as for the F110 fighter engine and the T700 and CT7 helicopter engines. 

GE Transportation, Aircraft Engines, a part of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), is one of the world's leading manufacturers of jet engines for civil and military aircraft.