Joint Strike Fighter F135 Engine Burns Hotter Than Desired

Posted on: May. 31st, 2006 || Source: aviationweek.com | E-mail Article | Print Article

The Pratt & Whitney F135 engine for the Navy's F-35B Joint Strike Fighter currently runs 190 degrees above the desired temperature.

The end of the demonstration and development phase is still about two years away, and P&W engineers have already worked out plans to cut the extra 190F of heat by more than half this summer. The specific area of concern is the "rotor inlet temperature margin," William J. Gostic, vice president of F135 programs, told AW&ST.

To save money, the engine was derived from the F-22 Raptor's engine, some propulsion analysts think that the engine's combustor is too small for the F-35's airframe. "As a result, it doesn't have the necessary airflow without additional bypass air. Increasing bypass air can rob an engine of efficiency", AW&ST reports.

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