Engines for the F-35

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 first flight test F135 engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) has completed successful runs at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base facility in Fort Worth, Texas.

Chief Test Pilot Jon Beesley summoned the full might of the most powerful fighter engine in history as the F-35, aircraft AA-1, performed its first-ever afterburner takeoff on March 13th.

Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp. has signed a letter of intent with Canadian company Magellan Aerospace for work on the F135 engine that will power the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) "Lightning II". The agreement, announced today during a press conference at the Farnborough International Air Show, has a potential value of more than US$20 million over the life of the program.

The F135 has achieved Initial Flight Release from the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO). Robert Burnes, JPO F-35 propulsion director, has declared all F135 tests and verification reports complete, clearing the F-35 Lightning II to fly.

Pratt & Whitney, a United Technologies Corp. company, was awarded a $60 million production contract for F135 engines to power the F-35 Lightning II.

Pratt & Whitney's F135 engine exceeded 9,000 system development and demonstration (SDD) ground test hours this week

Pratt & Whitney was awarded a production contract worth up to $491 million (including options) for F135 propulsion systems to power the F-35 Lightning II.