Originally intended to power Boeing Commercial Airplanes' cancelled 747-500X/-600X, the engine has since been pushed for Airbus' A380-800 superjumbo.

It is built around an 0.72 scale of the GE90-110B/115B core [1] and contains a Pratt & Whitney fan and low-pressure system design.

The competing Rolls-Royce Trent 900 was named as the lead engine for the then-named A3XX in 1996 and was initially selected by almost all A380 customers.

[3] The American Federal Aviation Administration certified the engine for commercial operation on January 4, 2006.

The engine is offered with two ratings appropriate for the various A380 configurations and take-off weights: GP7270 for the 560-tonne variant, and GP7277 for the 590 tonne A380-800 freighter (which was subsequently cancelled by Airbus).

In mid-2011 an upgrade was announced which will lead to a cut in weight for each engine by 23 kg (51 lb).

MDS in joint cooperation is building the facility to test the next version of this engine in France.