Starfighters completes supersonic tests for GE Aerospace ramjet program

by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 06, 2026
Starfighters Space Inc has completed a supersonic flight test campaign for GE Aerospace in which a company F-104 aircraft carried an advanced propulsion test vehicle on multiple flights at supersonic speed. The work supports GE Aerospace's Atmospheric Test of Launched Air-breathing System (ATLAS) program, which is focused on solid fuel ramjet propulsion.

As part of the ATLAS program, Starfighters flew three supersonic captive carry missions from Kennedy Space Center with the test vehicle mounted to the aircraft. During these flights, the ATLAS vehicle reached supersonic speeds to generate data for advancing solid fuel ramjet technology.

Starfighters believes its fleet of F-104 aircraft is the only commercial fleet in the free world able to carry underwing test payloads at speeds above Mach 2, or more than 1,500 miles per hour. The company positions these aircraft as a commercial flight test platform for aerospace and defense customers who require repeated supersonic missions.

The recent ATLAS missions were led by GE Aerospace and demonstrated that Starfighters can provide commercially contracted, repeatable supersonic flight services in support of customer-funded development programs. These services are aimed at customers working on next-generation propulsion and aerospace systems that require access to flight-proven supersonic platforms.

"For customers developing next-generation propulsion and aerospace systems, access to flight-proven supersonic platforms is essential," said Rick Svetkoff, CEO of Starfighters Space. "These missions not only validate our business model, but also demonstrate the advanced capabilities of our aircraft, our flight operations team, and our ability to support complex test campaigns through contracted flight services."

"The Starfighters team provided a reliable, flight-ready supersonic platform that enabled us to conduct multiple captive carry flights in realistic atmospheric conditions," said Mark Rettig, Vice President and General Manager of Edison Works Business and Technology Development at GE Aerospace. "Commercially operated test aircraft like Starfighters play an important role in accelerating development timelines by allowing repeatable, flexible flight testing outside of traditional range constraints."

The ATLAS campaign reflects broader demand from aerospace and defense developers for faster and more flexible access to flight testing beyond traditional government ranges and long-lead launch schedules. Starfighters structures its business around mission-specific supersonic flight services under customer agreements rather than funding speculative in-house technology projects.

Each completed campaign contributes to Starfighters operational track record, increases aircraft utilization, and can support follow-on programs, repeat customers, and a wider range of mission types. These may include propulsion tests, systems validation, training activities, and space-adjacent applications where high-speed flight environments are required.

The ATLAS program receives funding from the U.S. Department of Defense under Title III of the Defense Production Act. Its goal is to advance air-breathing propulsion systems that can deliver higher speed, greater range, and improved responsiveness for future defense and aerospace applications.