Transition to Production and Focusing on STOVL Operations

This is an exciting year for the F-35 JSF Lightning II and the F135 engine program. As the program transitions from development to production, Pratt & Whitney is actively working to prepare assembly and test facilities to support the long-term production goals of the F-35 program.

A series of completed milestones represent the methodical transition from system development and demonstration to full production.  This includes delivering the final F135 test engine to the U.S. Air Force; delivering the first four production F135 engines; achieving the first STOVL vertical landing; and attaining the government’s endorsement of the CTOL/CV engine through Initial Service Release (ISR).  ISR means that the F135 CTOL/CV engine has met all the government’s requirements and has demonstrated proven safety, reliability and performance for operational use in the field.  It is essentially the government’s seal of approval, clearing the use of engine by the warfighter for its intended purpose.  By the time the F135 enters operation in 2013, the operating fleet of F119 engines will have logged more than 600,000 flying hours and the F135 will have logged more than 16,000 flying hours.

F135 Program Milestones & Road Ahead

• Preliminary Design Review
• CV/CTOL First Engine to Test
• STOVL First Engine to Test
• Post-Test CV/CTOL/STOVL CDR
• Flight Test Engines #1-3
• CTOL Statement of Qualification
• CTOL First Flight
• LRIP Production Contract Awarded
• STOVL Roll-Out
• STOVL Flight Clearance Review
• STOVL Up & Away Flight Clearance
• STOVL First Flight
• STOVL Statement of Qualification
• CV/CTOL Initial Service Release
• STOVL First Vertical Landing
• LRIP Lot 1 CTOL Deliveries
• CV CF-1 First Flight
• STOVL Initial Service Release