Why are fighter planes so loud?
Aeorspace engineering students work with Navy to dampen jet engine noise
SlashGear talked to a University of Cincinnati aerospace engineering professor about his efforts to dampen the noise of jet engines. The story was republished in MSN.
UC College of Engineering and Applied Science Distinguished Research Professor Ephraim Gutmark and his aerospace engineering students are developing new technology to reduce the noise of jet engines without harming performance.
Ephraim Gutmark.
Hearing loss and tinnitus are the leading causes of military disability claims, affecting more than 3.6 million former service members, according to numbers from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
The VA is the biggest employer of audiologists and speech language pathologists in the United States to treat military veterans whose hearing was damaged during their service.
Aerospace engineers at the University of Cincinnati and the Naval Research Laboratory have come up with a new nozzle design for F-18 fighter planes they hope will dampen the deafening roar of the engines without hindering performance.
But noise also limits the siting, expansion and operation of commercial and military airports.
“The main purpose is to reduce the impact on neighboring communities,“ Gutmark told SlashGear.
“The Navy had a big lawsuit in Norfolk, Virginia, from people who lived near the base and complained about hearing problems, sleeping problems and the diminished value of their properties. So the military has to limit its operations and stop operating at certain times of day. It's a severe problem.“
Featured image at top: An F/A-18 Super Hornet's afterburners roar prior to launch aboard the USS Kitty Hawk. Photo/ Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Bo Flannigan
Aerospace engineering students use lasers to study the flow of jet engines in Distinguished Research Professor Ephraim Gutmark's lab. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC Marketing + Brand
Related Stories
UC launches Bearcats Affordability Grant
January 7, 2026
The University of Cincinnati is making college more attainable for students across Ohio with the creation of the Bearcats Affordability Grant. The new grant will provide a pathway to tuition-free college for students of families who make less than $75,000 per year. Beginning in fall 2026, the Bearcats Affordability Grant will cover the remaining cost of tuition for Ohio residents who are Pell eligible.
Sugar overload killing hearts
November 10, 2025
Two in five people will be told they have diabetes during their lifetime. And people who have diabetes are twice as likely to develop heart disease. One of the deadliest dangers? Diabetic cardiomyopathy. But groundbreaking University of Cincinnati research hopes to stop and even reverse the damage before it’s too late.
Is going nuclear the solution to Ohio’s energy costs?
November 10, 2025
The Ohio Capital Journal recently reported that as energy prices continue to climb, economists are weighing the benefits of going nuclear to curb costs. The publication dove into a Scioto Analysis survey of 18 economists to weigh the pros and cons of nuclear energy. One economist featured was Iryna Topolyan, PhD, professor of economics at the Carl H. Lindner College of Business.