The J79 was designed by General Electric in the United States in the mid-1950s. A distinctive feature of the J79 engine is the variable geometry of the compressor stator vanes, which allowed supersonic flight while minimizing the risk of compressor stall (airflow disruptions in the engine causing it to shut down).
GE J79 engines were produced in many versions and used in such aircraft as the American Lockheed F‑104 Starfighter, Convair B‑58 Hustler, North American RA‑5 Vigilante, McDonnell F‑4 Phantom II, and the Israeli IAI Kfir. The J79‑GE‑11A version was developed for the export fighter-bomber variant of the Starfighter, the F‑104G. These engines were manufactured in the United States and under licence in West Germany, Italy, Belgium, Canada, and Japan.
| Configuration | single-spool, single-shaft turbojet engine with a 17-stage axial compressor |
| Weight | 1630 kg |
| Maximum thrust without afterburner | 45 kN (4535 kG) |
| Maximum thrust with afterburner | 70.28 kN (7165 kG) |
