Wed, Dec 01, 2010
F135 Engine Will Not Fit Through Standard COD Cargo Door Or On
V-22 Osprey
The Navy is facing a significant challenge with the F135 engine
developed by Pratt & Whitney for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
... they can't get spare engines to an aircraft carrier by air or
sea.
File Photo
The Navy Times reports that, even when it is broken
down into its five components, the power module and packaging on
the F135 engine will not fit through the cargo door of a standard
Carrier Onboard Delivery (COD) aircraft, or aboard a V-22 Osprey.
It can be transported externally by the V-22 some 288 miles "in
good weather," the Navy says.
The issue could come during a combat operation when replacement
engines might need to be transported to carriers quickly. The
primary issue with external carriage by the V-22 is in that rotor
wash and heat generated by the engines could be dangerous to deck
crew attempting to attach slings to the engine crates while the
aircraft hovers over the deck. Add to that the fact that the Navy
has no V-22's ... they all belong to the Marines ... and has no
plans to order any.
F-35C File Photo
The Navy says the engine module and transport container weighs
9,400 pounds, which makes them too heavy to transfer to and from a
supply ship while underway. The newer Gerald R. Ford-class carriers
would be able to handle the load, but only one is expected to be
operational when the first F-35 squadrons deploy between 2015 and
2018.
Still, the issue with the F135 engine won't bolster the fortunes
of the alternate F136 engine also under development. A Navy
spokeswoman said the alternate engine would have similar
transportability issues.
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