JSF contract to Philips Aerospace
JSF contract to Philips Aerospace
Rolls-Royce has placed a contract with Philips Aerospace of the Netherlands for the supply of fan cases for the F136 engine, which is being designed with General Electric to power the Lockheed Martin F-35 joint strike fighter (JSF).
The contract cements the relationship between Rolls-Royce and Philips Aerospace for the F136 program which began with the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two companies at the Paris Air Show in 1999.
The GE/Rolls-Royce F136 Fighter Engine Team comprises: GE Aircraft Engines(GEAE) in Cincinnati, Ohio, Rolls-Royce Corporation in Indianapolis, Indiana and Rolls-Royce plc. in Bristol, England.
The development of the 40,000-pound thrust class F136 engine under contract for the JSF program is a cornerstone of future defense capability for the United States, the United Kingdom and their allied partners.
The first full F136 engine will go on test in 2004 and production engines will be available from 2010 in time for all International requirements.
Work-share split in the joint company is 60 percent for GE and 40 percent for Rolls-Royce.
GEAE with responsibility for 60 percent of the program, is developing the core- compressor, coupled turbine system, and the augmentor. Rolls-Royce, with 40 percent of the program, is responsible for the fan, combustor, low pressure turbine, and gearbox. Philips Aerospace will provide propulsion system components. FiatAvio is responsible for structural components for the low-pressure turbine and will participate in the development of the accessorygearbox.
The F136 engine incorporates advanced technology and processes that GEAE and Rolls-Royce obtained from the highly successful integrated high performance turbine engine technology (IHPTET) and UK technology demonstrator programs. It is claimed that these technologies mean that F136 customers will benefit from better reliability, maintainability and cost benefits.
GEAE and Rolls-Royce are currently engaged in development work under the 4 year, Phase III JSF program. This pre-System and development demonstration (SDD)phase, performed under a $411 million contract, runs through 2005.
During Phase III, the F136 engines will be tested for the various JSF variants: short takeoff vertical landing (STOVL) for the US Marine Corps, UK Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, conventional takeoff/landing (CTOL) for the US Air Force, and the carrier variant (CV) for the US Navy.
