Pratt&Whitney completes adaptive F135 testing

Pratt&Whitney has completed a test of an F135 based adaptive fan engine. The test was part of the four year Air Force AETD program. According to P&W the engine met or exceeded expectations. The engine was designed for a 25% improvement in fuel burn over 2000 baseline engines. The tests mark the possible beginning of a $1B development of the AETP engine, which will produce a 45,000 pound class engine that can then be put into existing F-35s, or future fighter programs.

Under the adaptive engine program, a valve was installed that allowed for a third air stream during cruise portions of flight. This allowed for extra cooling and increased combustion temperatures to improve fuel burn. Both the Air Force and Navy have been developing adaptive engines for the past 10 years.

Tests this year on an F135 core engine paired with an experimental fan module featuring adaptive bypass airflow to improve fuel efficient and cooling capacity “met or exceeded expectations”, says engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney.

The testing on a full-scale powerplant for the Lockheed Martin F-35 wraps up P&W’s role under a four-year adaptive engine technology development (AETD) programme sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).

The testing was intended to understand the maturity of so-called “three-stream” adaptive turbofan technology as AFRL launches a $1 billion programme to develop a full-scale, 45,000lb-thrust-class prototype engine under the Adaptive Engine Transition Programme (AETP) that could be used to re-engine the F-35 and power a future combat aircraft.

www.flightglobal.com...

a reply to: Zaphod58

The tests mark the possible beginning of a $1B development of the AETP engine, which will produce a 45,000 pound class engine that can then be put into existing F-35s, or future fighter programs.

By Production, the F35 will be on the scrap heap.

"Future fighters"? We can't build one now.

An extra bypass valve. Ive been mentioning that for almost 2 years now. Extra cooling is right. Along with some other things

a reply to: BASSPLYR

They very quietly said that there was a bomber sized engine ready to be dropped in. They hadn't completed the fighter sized version yet though.

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: Zaphod58

The tests mark the possible beginning of a $1B development of the AETP engine, which will produce a 45,000 pound class engine that can then be put into existing F-35s, or future fighter programs.

By Production, the F35 will be on the scrap heap.

"Future fighters"? We can't build one now.

Bad hair day?

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: BASSPLYR

They very quietly said that there was a bomber sized engine ready to be dropped in. They hadn't completed the fighter sized version yet though.

Seeing we have two fighter 'sizes', I assume they're referring to an F-35 size rather than an F-22 size?

a reply to: nwtrucker

The test was done on an F135 engine. There's nothing showing that the F119 will ever be converted to a triple stream. It would probably be too costly at this point, since they're not building them anymore. It would be pretty easy to convert future F135s as they're being built. They may eventually do it, as they overhaul F119s, but the time between overhaul is so long, it will be awhile before we even get an idea if they're going to do it or not.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: BASSPLYR

They very quietly said that there was a bomber sized engine ready to be dropped in. They hadn't completed the fighter sized version yet though.

Well, I don't think we need more than one guess to where that one is going to end up

originally posted by: nwtrucker

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: Zaphod58

The tests mark the possible beginning of a $1B development of the AETP engine, which will produce a 45,000 pound class engine that can then be put into existing F-35s, or future fighter programs.

By Production, the F35 will be on the scrap heap.

"Future fighters"? We can't build one now.

Bad hair day?

Multi purpose stealth fighter / bomber / CAS / Interceptor / VTOL.

Jack of trades, master of none. Doesn't do anything well.

All bad.

a reply to: intrptr

With all do respect it would appear you know nothing about the f35

originally posted by: BASSPLYR
a reply to: intrptr

With all do respect it would appear you know nothing about the f35

Loosely conjoined into one jet serves all branches. The battle for dedicated platforms goes back to the day the Air Force split from the Army. I watched that battle develop last century.

Each branch wants its own desired features. The Navy wants a fighter that can land on carriers. The Marines want Close Air Support (VTOL) in forward areas. The Air Force wants an Interceptor / bomber. They all want stealth.

One jet can't do them all well. Each theatre has its own specific requirements that detract from the others.

If its super mach its not a good bomber, If its VTOL, has trouble landing on Carriers. If its stealthy it can't carry heavy bomb loads for CAS.

One jet fits all means the cost goes up too. The over designed complexity makes for reliability and maintenance problems. The 'enemy' is already countering features before its even deployed and battle tested.

Here we are. Its being deployed with all its 'little' limitations, and in limited numbers due to cost because its all we got.

Wundewaffe

a reply to: intrptr

hence the creation of a actual veritech fighter!(that be awesome woudnt it?)

a reply to: yuppa

NO!
That would OBSTRUCT Bolo funding...

a reply to: [post=22677202]spaceman42[/post

I had always assumed, probably incorrectly due to scale, that a few ADVENT or possiby AETD engines had been delivered to LM and NG for the LRSB demonstrators. If that did happen would they be the F135 or possibly the F136?

a reply to: Badgermole42

GE announced that they had an engine capable of getting installed on the bomber, but P&W and Rolls Royce didn't say anything about it. If they use a Pratt engine it's going to be an F135.

originally posted by: cavtrooper7
a reply to: yuppa

NO!
That would OBSTRUCT Bolo funding...

Dont you mena it would render it obsolete? lol.

Was this run off the back of SABRE and adapted to a smaller package?

a reply to: yuppa

You're right the TR---BLACK triangles(!) could probably WASTE those...

originally posted by: cavtrooper7
a reply to: yuppa

You're right the TR---BLACK triangles(!) could probably WASTE those...

well if the VF fighters coudnt go into gerwalk mode and increase their manuverability instantly sure the BT's would literally waste them in a dogfight.(lol...ah sci fi tech can be so fun to speculate on)

a reply to: yuppa

WE need to know what a fighter pilot yells when he sees one before they cut him off..."Dorito of Death" is RIGHT out...I'll just put that out there.