F-35 Lightning II News

August 25, 2006 (by Jeff Hollenbeck) - The U.S. Government's Joint Strike Fighter Program Office has cleared Pratt & Whitney's F135 engine program to begin installed ground engine runs and taxi testing for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Lightning II.
The notification clears the way for the engine to run while installed in the F-35 aircraft. Installed engine runs are expected to begin this month with taxi tests beginning in September. Pratt & Whitney is a unit of United Technologies Corp.

"This clearance represents a vote of confidence in the F135 propulsion system as we all work together to get this aircraft up and flying," said Bill Gostic, vice president, F135 engine programs for Pratt & Whitney. "Pratt & Whitney remains on track to support the F-35's first flights beginning later this year."

Pratt & Whitney is the lead propulsion system supplier for the F-35 program. To date, the company has delivered three flight test engines, and the F135 will provide exclusive power for the F-35's first flights beginning with the Conventional Take Off and Landing (CTOL) variant's initial flights later this year.

Nine F135 ground test engines have accumulated more than 5,700 hours as part of Pratt & Whitney's System Development and Demonstration program. This is in addition to the more than 3,600 hours F135 engines have logged as the only engine to power all JSF concept demonstration ground and flight tests. The technologically advanced F135 is an evolution of the highly successful F119 engine for the F-22 Raptor. Together the F135 and F119 will have logged more than 800,000 hours before the F-35's introduction into operational service in 2012. Rated at more than 40,000 pounds of thrust, the F135 is the most powerful fighter engine ever built.