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GE and Rolls-Royce Ready to Fire-Up Joint Fighter Engine
Before the show is over, an F136 engine destined for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will have had its first test-run at Evendale, Ohio. GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team reported at Farnborough yesterday that it is on schedule to fly the F136 in a JSF during October 2009. Although rival Pratt & Whitney is assured of its F135 being in all the first 75 Lots 1-3 JSFs, Lots 4 and 5, for 2012-13 delivery, are guaranteed to share both types of engine. Then, it is every engine-making man for himself, the aircraft being capable of taking either unit — even as an in-the-field swap.
Like Pratt, GE R-R confirmed that it has been given a "what if?" contract to study the potential for increasing F136's power output beyond the 39,000 to 39,500-pounds-thrust currently envisaged, the presumption being that this could help the airframe designers if the STOVL F-35B — on order for the UK — remains stubbornly over preferred weight. Putting the alleged overweight issue in context, the Team confirms that there is no "contract empty weight" for JSF, just a few key parameters which airframe and engine makers are left to meet in whichever manner they see fit, including thrust-versus-weight tradeoffs.
—Paul Jackson
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