It is one of GE's most successful and longest in service military jet engines, with the civilian versions having logged over 16.5 million hours of operation.

[1] Civilian models, known as the CJ610, are similar but supplied without an afterburner and are identical to non-afterburning J85 variants, while the CF700 adds a rear-mounted fan for improved fuel economy.

The Quail was designed to be released from a B-52 Stratofortress in-flight and fly for long distances in formation with the launch aircraft, multiplying the number of targets facing the SA-2 surface-to-air missile operators on the ground.

It features an eight-stage axial-flow compressor powered by two turbine stages, and is capable of generating up to 2,100 lbf (9.3 kN) of dry thrust, or more with an afterburner.

At full throttle at sea level, this engine, without afterburner, consumes approximately 400 US gallons (1,500 L) of fuel per hour.