Pratt & Whitney F135 Certified to Power Lightning II's First Flight

Its time for noise... really great noise. Pratt & Whitney has certified its F135 engine to power the Lightning II's first flight later this year after successfully completing all tests scheduled to date. 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.

The JPO has certified the F135's flight worthiness to power the F-35 Conventional Take Off and Landing (CTOL) flight test program. "Receiving the JPO's Initial Flight Release is an important milestone for the Joint Strike Fighter program and the F135 team. JPO approval qualifies the Pratt & Whitney engine to power the Lightning II first flight and flight test program," said Bill Gostic, vice president, F135 engine programs for Pratt & Whitney. "It validates the F135 production configuration."

Pratt & Whitney is the lead propulsion system supplier for the F-35 program. The F-35 recently completed its first series of F135 engine runs culminating in a full afterburner test with 40,000 pounds of thrust. The F135 engine is on schedule to begin taxi testing this fall.

The technologically advanced F135 is an evolution of Pratt & Whitney's 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.

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

In addition to the F135 engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and the F119 powering the F-22 Raptor, Pratt & Whitney military engine models include the F117 for the C-17 Globemaster III; F100 for F-15 and F-16 fighters; J52 for the EA-6B Prowler; TF33 powering AWACS, Joint STARS, B-52, and KC-135 aircraft; TF30 for the F-111, PT6 for T-6A and UH-1N aircraft; and JT15 for the T-1A trainer and Pegasus UCAV.

FMI: www.pratt-whitney.com