The F135 propulsion system built by Pratt & Whitney is on track to begin flight tests by year-end. The F135 will be the production engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Seven engines have been delivered for ground testing since the start of production. Three of the engines were configured for carrier variant conventional takeoff and landing and four were configured for short takeoff and vertical landings. According to F135 System Development and Demonstration (SDD) there has been much learned from the F119 core, which already has logged hours flight testing. Production of the first flight-test F135 engine will begin in August, and production deliveries will begin in 2009 for the F-35’s entrance into service in 2012.
