F135 Engine Completes First Flight Test

Released on Monday, December 05, 2005

Pratt & Whitney's F135 team has completed the engine that will power the first flight of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The milestone, marked with the turning of a ceremonial last bolt today, was celebrated at Pratt & Whitney's Engine Center in Middletown, Connecticut. Pratt & Whitney is a division of United Technologies Corporation.

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is a stealthy, supersonic, multirole aircraft being developed for the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, as well as international partners. Pratt & Whitney has been the lead propulsion system on the JSF program since the concept demonstration phase began in 1996. The F135 is an evolution of the highly successful F119 engine for the F/A-22 Raptor.

The first flight test F135 engine will be delivered to Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth, Texas, plant later this month, and the F135 program will achieve Initial Flight Release in spring of 2006. The engine will be installed in the first flight test JSF aircraft early next year and the F135 will be the exclusive power for the F-35's first flights, which will begin in the third quarter of 2006.

The F135 propulsion system team consists of Pratt & Whitney, the prime contractor with responsibility for the main engine and system integration; Rolls-Royce, providing lift components for the STOVL F-35B; and Hamilton Sundstrand, provider of the F135's control system, external accessories and gearbox.