Beginning in mid-1947, the Fairchild J44 (commercial designation FT-101E) turbojet was created in rigid conformance with the requirements of the Navy missile that it was to power. First run in August 1948, the J44 made its first flight in 1950 powering the Fairchild Petrel air-to-underwater torpedo-carrying missile. The J44 was also selected to power the Ryan high-speed Firebee target drone, which first flew in 1951. Both vehicles became operational in the mid-1950s; but, by the late 1950s, the J44 in was phased out of both the Firebee and the Petrel.

The J44 was qualified for use in manned aircraft in 1955, becoming the first jet engine in its power and weight class to receive an Approved Type Certificate. It powered the Bell Model 65 VTOL Air Test Vehicle, was mounted atop a Fairchild C-82 aircraft to provide takeoff boost thrust, and was also mounted on each wing tip of a Fairchild C-123B to improve take-off and climb performance.