Turkish firms join propulsion program

announced yesterday that it has awarded manufacturing work for critical components of the Joint Strike Fighter's (JSF) F135 propulsion system to Turkish aerospace companies

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Alp Aviation will manufacture the F135's fan rear hub and KaleKalip will produce F135 compressor shrouds, components critical to the operation of the F135 engine.

The F135 engine is the only propulsion system currently in the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase of the JSF development program. To date, the F135 has accumulated more than 3,000 SDD test hours, in addition to more than 3,500 hours accumulated during pre-SDD testing.

In August, Pratt & Whitney will begin assembly of the first flight test F135 engine, which will be delivered to Lockheed Martin in December of this year. The F135 program will achieve Initial Flight Release in January 2006 and will be the only engine to power the F-35's first flight in August 2006.

The F135 is an evolution of the F119 engine for the F/A-22 Raptor. Together the F135 and F119 will have logged more than one million flight hours before the F-35’s introduction into operational service in 2012.

The F135 propulsion system team consists of Pratt & Whitney, the prime contractor with responsibility for the main engine and system integration; Rolls-Royce, providing lift components for the STOVL F-35B; and Hamilton Sundstrand, provider of the F135’s control system, external accessories and gearbox.