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.

FMI: www.navy.mil