An experimental investigation on performance of a catalytic igniter made of platinum/rhodium catalyst has been conducted in a turbofan engine afterburner.Its ignition delay was measured under the conditions:the static pressure of 0 04-0 115 MPa;the inlet total temperature of 673-773 K;the velocity at the lip of igniter cone λ =0 20-0 36.The investigation simulates the operation of the engine's afterburner when aircraft flies at an altitude of 18000 m and the Mach numer of 1 0.The experiments on performance of the igniter for igniting of 1100 runs at normal pressure were also conducted to verify the longevity of the catalytic igniter.