GUY NORRIS / LOS ANGELES
Pratt & Whitney solution set to win surveillance aircraft deal ahead of CFM International
The 7Q7-led team bidding to re-engine the US Air Force's Northrop Grumman E-8 JSTARS air-to-ground surveillance aircraft is "about 90% sure" its Pratt & Whitney JT8D-219-based solution will be adopted ahead of the competing bid from CFM International with the CFM56-2.
Although the Department of Defense re-engining decision for 18 JT3D-powered E-8s was expected in February, the team now believes it will be selected "any day now".
Led by Omega, a Dublin, Ireland-based lessor, and investor Ed Swearingen, the 7Q7 team includes P&W, which supplies the engines and redesigned exhaust transition ducts, Oklahoma-based Nordam, which provides struts and cowl doors, and Goodrich, which supplies the Boeing MD-80 derived inlet and reverser as well as engine build-up and integration.
CFMI and the 7Q7 team have offered packages for acquiring or leasing the engines. "The leasing option is being discussed and includes elements such as one-year leases with no termination liability," says P&W, which requires about a year before engines are available for the first re-engining. Installation is expected to take around six weeks per aircraft. Aside from operating cost considerations, the upgrade is aimed at improving climb-to-cruise performance as well as time-on-station.
The 7Q7 team also hopes a JSTARS decision will create a domino effect which will place the group in a good position for the re-engining of NATO-operated Boeing E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) platforms and possibly the USAF's E-3 fleet.
Although NATO has issued a request for information for re-engining, a request for proposals is expected to slip beyond the original June date. Up to 50 civilian aircraft could also be re-engined.
The JSTARS bid is intended to be a commercial, off-the-shelf programme, dependent on the package receiving US Federal Aviation Administration certification. Flight testing towards commercial certification at 19,000lb-thrust (84kN)per engine is due to start in June with release of supplemental type certification expected in December. A follow-on certification to 21,000lb- thrust is expected in March 2003.
Source: Flight International
