A two-spool design in the 17,000 lbf (76 kN) thrust class, the J75 was essentially the bigger brother of the Pratt & Whitney J57 (JT3C).

It was also utilized in the prototype and experimental Avro Canada CF-105 Arrow, Lockheed A-12, Martin P6M-2 SeaMaster, North American YF-107, and Vought XF8U-3 Crusader III.

Well-known uses include the first all-turbine warships, the Canadian Iroquois-class destroyers, as well as the United States Coast Guard's Hamilton-class cutters, the 1970s-built icebreakers Polar Sea and Polar Star (each 3 engines in CODOG configuration), and it was considered for the US Navy's Asheville-class gunboat.

The same basic powerplant saw much wider use as a peak demand power turbine running on natural gas.

Outdated by modern standards, refits are available that add catalytic converters to lower their emissions.