The design originally featured a seven-stage compressor based on their Adder engine — the Viper is in effect a large-scale Adder. Like the similar J85 built in United States, the Viper was originally developed as an expendable engine for production versions of the Jindivik target drone. Like the J85, the limited-life components and total-loss oil systems were replaced with standard systems for use in manned aircraft. Because it was initially developed as an expendable engine, the Viper was subject to many recurring maintenance issues. This led to the development of the first Power by the Hour program in which operators would pay a fixed hourly rate to Bristol Siddeley for the continual maintenance of the engines. In the 1970s, Turbomecanica Bucharest and Orao Sarajevo acquired the license for the Viper engine, which propelled various Romanian and Yugoslav built aircraft.
Variants
Data from:Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1955-56, Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1959-60, Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1962-63 ;ASV.1:Short life design study;. ;ASV.2:Developed short life version, first run in April 1951;. ;ASV.3: Short life for missile/target applications, flight-tested in the tail of an Avro Lancaster November 1952;. ;ASV.4:Short life for missile/target applications first run in 1952,. ;ASV.5: Extended life version for manned aircraft. ;ASV.6:Short life for missile/target applications;. ;ASV.7: ;ASV.7/R: ASV.7 with re-heat;. ;ASV.8: ; Long-life version rated at for Jet Provost T Mk.3. ;ASV.9: Similar to ASV.8 with improved turbine materials;. ;ASV.10:Long-life version with re-designed Sapphire-style compressor first run in January 1956;. ;ASV.11: ASV.10 with increased mass-flow;. ;ASV.12: up-rated ASV.11 with higher JPT and rated at ;Viper 8: : Engines for the Hunting-Percival Jet Provost TMk.3 and GAF Jindivik Mk.102B target drone. ;Viper 9: : Powered the Bell X-14 and Handley Page HP 115 among others. ;Viper 11: : Powered the Hunting-Percival Jet Provost TMk.4 and GAF Jindivik Mk.3 among others. ;Viper 12: see ASV.12 above ;Viper 20: : Powered the Hawker Siddeley HS.125 and Piaggio-Douglas PD.808 among others. ;Viper 22: Built under licence by Piaggio for the Aermacchi MB.326 ;Mk.100: see ASV.3 above ;Mk.101: see ASV.5 above ;Mk.102: see ASV.8 above ;Mk.103: see ASV.9 and Viper 9 above ;Mk.104: see ASV.12 above ;Mk.200: ;Mk.201: ;Mk.202: ;Mk.204: Evidence found on a surviving Mk.204 engine suggests this is a Mk.202 variant with increased temperature and oil pressure transmission capabilities. These are thought to be safety measures installed for use in Jet Provost aircraft used by HRH Prince Charles during his Royal Air Force flight training programme. A Mk204 engine still exists in running order, in Jet Provost XS186 at the Metheringham Airfield Visitor Centre in Lincolnshire, England. ;Mk.301: ;Mk.521: ;Mk.522: ;Mk.525: ;Mk.601: ;Mk.632: Built under licence by Turbomecanica and Orao, as the non-afterburning engine for the IAR-93 Vultur A/MB versions, Soko J-22 Orao 1 version, IAR-99 Standard/Șoim versions, and Soko G-4 Super Galeb. ;Mk.633: Built under licence by Turbomecanica and Orao, as the afterburning engine for the IAR-93 Vultur B version, and Soko J-22 Orao 2 version. ;Mk.805: de-rated to, powered Fuji T1F1 prototype and T-1A production aircraft, as well as the Hunting H.126 jet-flap research aircraft. ;M.D.30 Viper:Engines licence-built and developed by Dassault Aviation ;M.D.30R Viper: with afterburner.
