The General Electric/Rolls-Royce team developing the F136 engine for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has halted testing after the discovery of damaged turbine blades.
The damage - described by GE/R-R as "dings and nicks" - was found after about three-quarters of the way through a test phase that pushed the engine from maximum power to a controlled shutdown.
A borescope inspection after the planned shutdown identified the damage to the blades, prompting GE/R-R officials to halt testing and conduct a thorough inspection, the team says.
F136 officials emphasise that there was "no sign of damage in the compressor or fan".
But the test problem happened as the US Congress debates whether to add up to $560 million to continue developing the F136 despite the opposition from the Obama administration. President Barack Obama has threatened to veto the $680 billion defence bill if it includes any funding for the F136.
Claiming that two engine programmes to power one fighter programme is unnecessary, the Department of Defense has only requested funds to continue developing and producing the rival Pratt & Whitney F135 engine for the F-35 fleet.
The F135 team also recently halted testing briefly after discovering that a "handful" of fan blade tips were damaged during ground tests that simulated supersonic speeds.
Both engine programmes are pushing the boundaries of fighter engine propulsion technology, with the single-engined F-35 requiring more than 40,000lb of thrust (178kN).
Source: Flight International
