Garret TFE 1042 Jet Engines

Photographs showing  a Taiwanese Jet with Garret TFE 1042 Jet Engines.

In 1978, Garrett announced joint research on the TFE1042 afterburner with Swedish company Volvo Flygmotor AB in order to provide an engine for the AIDC F-CK Indigenous Defence Fighter (IDF) being developed for the Republic of China (Taiwan) Air Force (ROCAF).

The TFE731 Model 1042 was touted as a low bypass ratio “military derivative of the proven commercial TFE731 engine” and “provides efficient, reliable, cost effective propulsion for the next generation of light strike and advanced trainer aircraft”, with thrust of 4260 lbf (18.9 kN) dry and 6790 lbf (30.2 kN) with afterburner.

After initial negotiation, the investment was going to be divided between Garrett, Volvo, AIDC, and Italian company Piaggio. The development would consist of the non-afterburning TFE1042-6 for light attack aircraft/advanced trainer, and TFE1042-7 for the AMX or F-5 upgrade.

Garrett would be responsible for the core engine, and Volvo would be responsible for the fan section and the afterburner. The engine first ran for 3 hours at a Volvo test facility in 1979.

Garret TFE 1042 Jet Engine
Original photo in the Dowty archive at the Gloucestershire Heritage Hub
Taiwanese Jet with Garret TFE 1042 Jet Engines
Original photo in the Dowty archive at the Gloucestershire Heritage Hub

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