Sun, Jul 26, 2009
The Deal Is Worth $684 Million
The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded Pratt & Whitney
a $571 million production contract for F135 engines to power the
F-35 Lightning II. This low rate initial production (LRIP) contract
covers production, sustainment, spare parts and engineering support
for the third lot of F135 engines, including 10 conventional
take-off and landing (CTOL) and 11 short-takeoff/vertical-landing
(STOVL) engines for F-35 aircraft. Additionally, Pratt &
Whitney has been awarded a $113 million contract for long lead
material procurement to produce 32 F135 engines for the fourth lot
of F135 engines.
"Pratt & Whitney is proud to be
producing operational F135 engines scheduled for delivery later
this year," said Warren Boley, vice president, Pratt & Whitney
F135 programs. "These contracts demonstrate the maturity of the
F135 engine program, which has completed more than 100 successful
test flights and hover pit testing, meeting the demanding STOVL
vertical thrust requirements."
"The F135 has demonstrated very high reliability during the F-35
flight test program, surpassing 130 flight test hours without a
single engine event," Boley said. "This is a very significant year
for the F135 engine and the F-35 Lightning II program. Pratt &
Whitney continues to proudly support both Lockheed Martin and the
F-35 Joint Program Office on this important program."
Pratt & Whitney has designed, developed and tested the F135
to deliver the most advanced fifth generation fighter engine for
the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy, as well as eight
international partner countries. The F135 is derived from proven
technology of the only operational fifth generation fighter engine,
the Pratt & Whitney F119. It has been further enhanced with
technologies developed in several Air Force and Navy technology
programs.
The F135 is the only engine powering the F-35 Lightning II
flight test program. The F135 propulsion system has proven it can
meet diverse aircraft requirements, and the ground-and-flight-test
experience demonstrates the maturity and the associated reliability
of the F135 engine for armed forces around the world.
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