Description:
The F135 engine is being developed as one of two propulsion systems for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Two alternative propulsion systems are required to power the F-35 variants as it has been in the case of the F-16. In October 2003, the first F135 production engine configuration was tested ahead of schedule.
The F135 engine is a derivative of the Pratt & Whitney F119 engine powering the F/A-22 air dominance fighter. The F135 STOVL will power the US Marine Corps Short Take-off Vertical Landing F-35B variant operating from scarcely prepared runaways close to the battlefield front line. The engine will provide up to 39,000 pounds of hover thrust in the vertical take off mode.
Pratt & Whitney team consists of Pratt & Whitney, Hamilton Sundstrand (engine's control system, external accessories and gearbox) and Rolls Royce (Rolls-Royce LiftFanTM, 3 Bearing Swivel Module and Roll Posts to the F135 STOVL). The first F135 engine is expected to conduct first flight in August 2006, production engine deliveries are anticipated by 2009 and engine introduction in 2012.
On March 21, 2005, Pratt & Whitney announced that the F135 engine program surpassed 2,500 test hours under the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase of this program. The engines used during these tests were configured in the CV/CTOL and STOVL variants. The tests were conducted at the company's facility at West Palm Beach, Florida. In August 2005, Pratt & Whitney was awarded a $969 million modification to a previous contract to extend the F135 engine System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase by 16 months.
Specifications Engine/s Performance: Thrust 40,000 lb (18,144 kg)
F135-PW-600 STOVL - Contracts, Orders & Sales
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Engines powering six F-35B LRIP II aircraft
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Notes (*) lead contractor
IOC: Initial Operating Capability
FOC: Full Operating Capability
CEP: Circular Error Probable
Comm: Commissioning Date
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Meters per Second (mps) Kilometers per Hour (kph) Knot (kt) Miles per Hour (mph)
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Shaft-Horse-Power (shp)
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