Military of China, force comment.
Military of China, force comment.

Data for: testing the F136 engine.

12 February, General Electric (GE) and Rolls-Royce released the joint statement, both sides will not continue to self-financing project for the F-35 F136 alternative engine of development. Thus, after 16 years after this, a total of over $ 3 billion cost of the huge development program halted, and the numerous controversies Judgments are left to think about the industry.

American history as the largest and most expensive weapons development program, F-35 fighter program in the next 30 years, production could reach 6000, with each fighter using full life cycle of 2 to 2.5 calculation engine, the engine only the total value of procurement and maintenance will be more than $ 120 billion. $ 120 billion market, for any manufacturer who is a great temptation.

because of the potential market is huge, the U.S. Department of Defense F-35 program from the beginning of the proposed requirements, there are two types of engines to choose from, this is because: one, which is a major fighter in the United States engine procurement project on a tradition that is interchangeable with a fighter to have two engines, F-15 and F-16 procurement projects in the F100 and F110 engine that is so; the other hand, two engines models to compete, not only can continue to improve engine performance, but also can reduce the price of the engine, thus reducing the F-35 fighter unit.

despite their embrace of different purposes, but the face of Pratt & Whitney’s such a common opponent, GE chose F136 engine jointly developed with Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney’s F135 to compete with. Joint development projects in the F136, GE owns 60% of the shares, Rolls-Royce holds the remaining 40% stake, is responsible for the engine assembly by GE.

the F-35 project, although F136 is a backup engine, but compared with the Pratt & Whitney’s F135, it uses a variable-cycle technology, including a number of more advanced technology, with more powerful Thrust. However, it is also because the use of too many new technologies, the development will increase the risk of F136, in the course of 16 years of research has been stumbling. In 2008 to 2009, the key test phase, F136 engine has many accidents occur, during which the test was interrupted, which are foreshadowed its end.

on the F136 program, GE and Rolls-Royce in 2003, the two companies have invested $ 600 million before the completion of major parts of the engine design and performance testing. In August 2005, F136 through the F-35 program office the preliminary design review, then was awarded a $ 2.4 billion System Development and Demonstration (SDD) contract. As of fiscal year 2010, Department of Defense has allocated $ 2 billion.

2010 Earlier this year, still suffer from the subprime mortgage crisis, the Obama administration’s torture submitted by fiscal year 2011 budget of up to nearly $ 3.9 trillion, of which more than 700 billion defense budget, caused great discontent in the country . In May that year, then-Defense Secretary Gates said in a speech to cut $ 10 billion defense budget for fiscal year 2011, the first thing is to stop funding the F136 program. Since then, the U.S. Congress approved in 2011 or continue to provide financial support for the F136, and allocated $ 400 million in research funds. In June 2010, Gates criticized the F136 program again, with respect to the engine can not achieve the established standards. Although GE executives after organizing mass protests to denounce Gates’ talk “, but finding a mate F136 program has weakness.

after the protests, GE has announced that the company side, as long as the U.S. Department of Defense and then to pay $ 1.8 billion development cost, F136 development work will all end, and can be put into batch production, but not before Department of Defense said needed $ 2.9 billion. Is not difficult to believe, when GE made the remarks when the company, emboldened will not be too full.

am to the end, the U.S. Department of Defense has started to draw the defense budget for fiscal year 2012, GE and Rolls-Royce announced the termination of the F136 program at this time can be considered a self-knowledge, they know that this year in order to fight again Department of Defense research funding has been impossible. Thus, the face of such a major development such as the F136 project, the U.S. government as the largest gold master once go away, even if GE and Rolls-Royce engine giant that it is difficult to continue.

F136 project was terminated, so that Pratt & Whitney sigh of relief, the company became the only F-22 fighter engine supplier, the F-35 once again become the sole supplier of engines, exclusive market of billions of dollars. Meanwhile, the U.S. lasted nearly 50 years, two-engine fighter-type competitive procurement strategy also came to an end, come to an end along with Rolls-Royce engines into the U.S. military’s dream market.

in the modern aviation industry, engine development has always been hard row to hoe, not to mention China, India and other developing countries, even if the United States, Russia, Britain and other aviation technology powers as well. Prior to this, the YF120 engine has been unable to solve many technical problems, eventually leading to the U.S. Department of Defense procurement of Pratt & Whitney’s F119 engine, YF-23 development program and therefore lost in the competition; Russia has been unable to complete the package as the engine of development, resulting in T-50 flight test aircraft dragged on, the aircraft is equipped with the engine in this year’s Moscow air show also broke down; French “Rafale” fighter in the international market has been unable to obtain orders for its lack of use of the M88 engine has a thrust direct relationship; in the aviation sector in Japan has been ambitious, reasons for the delay can not start the next generation fighter, of course, political reasons, but the biggest reason is not alone solve the matching engine. In other words, in the aviation industry, the engine has always been a high-precision and advanced technology representatives to today even more so. In the current aviation industry, the engine itself is a complex integrated systems, engine development is a highly systematic project, which involves, including materials, processes, testing, noise, and many other information technology. The composition of capital in the development, it should be based on model-based state investment funds usually based on different stages of development of the allocation, if relying solely on the strength of enterprises to carry out engine development, is bound to occur because of lack of funds caused by continuous investment in development cycle is too long. Termination of the F136 program, is only carried out once again on the above facts prove it.

view of this, GE and Rolls-Royce F136 termination of research and development, is no choice, is the right choice. For the U.S. military, the direct benefits that can save billions of research funding to enable the F-35 was in the new fiscal year budget cuts reduced the risk, and thus speed up the production and deployment of the aircraft. However, as some experts said, F136 terminate the development, of course, can reduce the financial pressure on the Pentagon, but also for future potential problems. According to U.S. media reports, F135 engine development has cost overruns of nearly $ 2 billion, and as the project progresses, this number will continue to expand, eventually could exceed $ 10 billion, far more than the money saved by stopping F136, soar. The increase in development costs, but also inevitably lead to increased F-35 purchase price.

more importantly, lost the backup F136, U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps procurement of three models of the F-35 fighter jets can only be completely dependent on the F135 engine, which is equal to all eggs in one basket, because once the engine design, structure or material failure and other reasons, according to the U.S. military’s practice, will result in the entire F-35 fleet grounded. This is not alarmist, F135 in the previous development phase, was in August 2007 and February 2008 appear twice during the test engine turbine blades damaged. In addition, there have been oil pump oil spills cause engine stall problem. In May and September, F-22 fighter aircraft because the cabin oxygen system problems, and two grounded the entire fleet, so the Air Force has more than pain unfulfilled. Technology to compete and enter, without the F136, GE and Rolls-Royce has also parted ways, Pratt & Whitney will certainly be a little more calm, and this for the U.S. F-35 program as well as the development of engine technology will bring what kind of impact, we wait and see.

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