Total Engine Time Surpasses 11,000 Hours

Pratt & Whitney tells ANN its F135 engine exceeded 8,000 system design and development (SDD) ground test hours this week. This achievement, in addition to the 3,600 test hours accumulated during the F-35 concept demonstration program, puts total engine test program hours logged at more than 11,000.

"This testing milestone, combined with the successful F-35 flight test program, demonstrates the maturity, flexibility and reliability of Pratt & Whitney's F135 propulsion system," said Bill Gostic, vice president, Pratt & Whitney F135 engine program. "We remain focused on exceeding our customers' expectations by assuring the flawless performance of the F135."

Achieving 8,000 SDD ground test hours is one of a series of milestones for the F135 propulsion system development program. Pratt & Whitney's F135 powered the F-35 Lightning II's first flight in December 2006, and continues to power the flight test program -- with 19 flight tests to date and more than 20 flight test hours.

Pratt & Whitney's F135 engine is an evolution of the F119 engine for the F-22 Raptor. Together the F135 and F119 will have logged more than 600,000 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.

FMI: www.pw.utc.com/