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Pratt & Whitney's F135 Engine Achieves Major Benchmark of 100 Hours of Flight Testing

Posted on: Thursday, 26 March 2009, 12:41 CDT

EAST HARTFORD, Conn., March 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Pratt & Whitney's F135 engine, the only engine powering the F-35 Lightning II flight test program, has surpassed 100 hours of flight testing, a significant milestone in the development and testing of the world's most powerful fighter engine. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company.

This achievement is a key step in the propulsion system's transition from development to production. The engine's success in flight testing demonstrates the maturity and reliability of the F135 program for armed forces across the globe.

"This is a major achievement in a long and growing list of milestones for the F135 team," said Bill Gostic, vice president, Pratt & Whitney F135 Engine Program. "It reinforces the reliability and dependability our engine is providing to the Joint Strike Fighter flight test program."

The F135, designed specifically for the F-35, is a derivative of the Pratt & Whitney F119 engine, the only operational fifth generation engine, which currently powers the U.S. Air Force's F-22 Raptor. The F119, having recently surpassed the 100,000 flight hour benchmark, offers proven superior dependability and safety for the F-22. Many of the same core components and concepts have been applied to the design and development of the F135, which features advanced prognostics and health management systems that will significantly lower short and long-term maintenance costs. Additionally, the F135 is leveraging operational fighter and stealth technology experience as well as advanced sustainment support experience.

Together, the two engines have steadily achieved a series of key flying-hour benchmarks. By the time the F135 enters operation in 2013, the operating fleet of F119 engines from which it is derived will have logged more than 500,000 flying hours, while the F135 will have logged more than 16,000.

"The F135 has met or exceeded all required flight test goals, and we have absolute confidence in the engine and its future performance in support of the F-35 flight test program," Gostic said.

For eight years and more than 11,000 test hours, Pratt & Whitney has been designing, developing and testing the F135 to deliver the most advanced fifth generation fighter engine for the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy, as well as eight international partner countries.

The F135 is the only engine powering the F-35 Lightning II flight test program. The F135 propulsion system is the power of choice for the F-35 and has proven it can meet diverse aircraft requirements. The ground and flight test experience demonstrates the maturity and the associated reliability of the F135 engine for armed forces around the world.

Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and commercial building industries.

This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning the operational prospects for certain engines and, accordingly, the potential for future business opportunities. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to changes in the USAF's funding related to the F-35 aircraft and F135 engines, changes in government procurement priorities and practices or in the number of aircraft to be built; challenges in the design, development, production and support of technologies; as well as other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those detailed from time to time in United Technologies Corporation's Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

Erin Dick Matthew Perra P&W Military Engines Pratt & Whitney +1-860-557-0122 +1-860-565-8938 erin.dick@pw.utc.com matthew.perra@pw.utc.com

SOURCE Pratt & Whitney

Source: PR Newswire

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