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GE Hopes F136 Will Power New Batch of F-35 JSFs
In the years since losing the competition to power the Joint Strike Fighter, GE’s F136 engine has won more than $750 million in investment — to power the very same aircraft it lost out on.
Now the engine that just wouldn’t die is chasing another $2.4 billion in funds through 2012, when GE officials hope it will power the fourth production batch of F-35 JSFs.
“We kept our heads down, kept working at this, and now we have a story we can go out and tell,” said Bob Griswold, who last month presented the Pentagon with a proposal that should lead to the pivotal System Design and Development (SDD) contract in August. Griswold is president of the GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team (FET).
The reversal in the F136’s fortunes came after the military decided that although it would award the JSF contract to Pratt & Whitney, it wanted a second source for a powerplant. Further pressure came from the UK, a major partner on the JSF, in support of Rolls-Royce’s continued involvement in the program (it makes up 40% of the Fighter Engine Team).
“We got Congressional and DoD support for the second engine (giving a choice on the aircraft). Even our detractors agreed competition is good to have on such a large program,” said Griswold.
GE Transportation — Aircraft Engines, with responsibility for 60% of the F136 program, is developing the core compressor and coupled high-pressure/low-pressure turbine system components, controls and accessories, and the afterburner. Rolls-Royce, with 40% of the F136 program, is responsible for the front fan, combustor, stages 2 and 3 of the low-pressure turbine, and gearboxes.
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The SDD contract will launch full development of GE’s F136 from a test program to a full production engine, which will differ in a number of respects from the two developmental powerplants that have been run on the bench to date. “We froze the engine specs three years ago,” said Griswold, “but since then the aircraft has changed.” The SDD contract will pay for a more powerful engine with greater airflow and a bigger compressor to match the JSF’s increased power requirements, while meeting a not-to-exceed weight target on the first flight test engine. The program will employ 1,000 engineers at its peak between 2007 and 2010.
First flight of the GE F136 will be in the second quarter of 2010. The engine will be plug-and-play interchangeable with the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine in the JSF, a feature that is calling for unprecedented cooperation between rival engineers to develop compatible software, systems and controls. “The pilot won’t be able to feel the difference, and won’t know from the cockpit displays whether he has a GE or a Pratt engine,” said Griswold.
The emergence of the flight-qualified F136 in 2012 will give the U.S. military and foreign customers a choice of engines, just as they have on the F-16 today.
With the green light just weeks away, Griswold and his team “are feeling this is a good time for us right now,” he says. “Big engine programs follow big airplane programs,” he adds, “and this one will be around for the next 40 to 50 years.”—John Morris
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