Engine partners Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce and Hamilton Sundstrand have successfully conducted the critical design review (CDR) for the F135 propulsion system for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).
The CDR demonstrated that the F135 is meeting - or exceeding - requirements as specified in its system development and demonstration (SDD) programme.
Milestone
CDR is a major program milestone in which the government and contractors review the entire F135 propulsion system.
For the F135, it capped an intensive seven-month process, including more than 100 part-level and 28 module and functional area reviews. These allow the JSF community to assess progress toward the planned capability and performance requirements of the F135. Areas reviewed include weight, affordability, performance, single engine safety, reliability, and maintainability.
Completion of CDR establishes the production configuration of the F135, and clears the way for the first engines to be tested over the coming months. The conventional takeoff and landing/carrier variant (CTOL/CV) engine is on schedule to be tested in the fourth quarter of 2003, while the short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) system begins testing in the second quarter of 2004. Flight testing of the F-35 is scheduled to begin in 2005, with the first production configuration F135s due to begin delivery in 2007.
"Pratt & Whitney's F135 propulsion system team has made tremendous progress in only 18 months of development," said Maj Gen Jack Hudson, executive officer and programme director, JSF programme. "The team is under its not-to-exceed weight target, and is meeting its very aggressive affordability goals."
"The results of the CDR have shown the F135 design has matured significantly since the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) milestone in May 2002," said Tom Farmer, vice president of F135 engine programmes at P&W.
"Together with our team-mates at Rolls-Royce and Hamilton Sundstrand, we look forward to bringing our first production configuration engine to test this fall."
Swivel
The F135 propulsion system team consists of Pratt & Whitney, the prime contractor with responsibility for the main engine and system integration; Rolls-Royce, providing the LiftFan 3-bearing swivel module and roll posts to the STOVL F-35B; and Hamilton-Sundstrand, provider of the F135's control system, external accessories and gearbox. The F135 is an evolution of the F119 engine that powers the F/A-22 Raptor.
It will power all versions of the F-35 - CTOL, CV, and STOVL.
Source: Flight Daily News
