Power, innovation and dependability are at the core of the F135, which powers all three variants of the F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft.
The F135’s 5th Generation propulsion capabilities provide the warfighters of today and tomorrow the technological edge to fight and win.
With more than 40,000 lbs. of thrust, unmatched low-observable signature, world-class thermal management, and the most advanced integrated engine control system ever created, the F135 engine is the heartbeat of the F-35.
Not only is the F135 the most powerful and most advanced fighter engine ever produced, it’s also the most dependable – demonstrating a step change in readiness and reliability over 4th generation fighter engines.
The F135 delivers unrivaled performance to the warfighter, enabling operations in the most advanced threat environments and redefining what’s possible for our customers and their missions.
For nearly a century, we’ve been advancing military propulsion for tactical, strategic, and mobility aircraft. From the development of our iconic Wasp engine in the 1920s to the game-changing technology of today’s F135, our innovation is driven by our commitment to provide customers the most advanced, dependable products to complete their mission and return home safely.
Evolved from the proven F119 engine that powers the F-22 Raptor and building upon decades of combat-proven propulsion experience, the F135 is a marvel of modern engineering – from design and development to production and sustainment. From its adaptive and maintenance-friendly design to the use of exotic materials and advanced manufacturing processes, the F135 is the pinnacle of combat propulsion.
The F135 also stands as a prime
example of our commitment to the
continuous improvement of our
products. Conceived with the
knowledge that operational
environments will evolve and threats
will advance, the F135’s modular
design and digital architecture support
agile upgrades. Our F135 Engine Core Upgrade (ECU) incorporates
next-generation adaptive propulsion
technologies that offer increased thrust
and fuel efficiency, as well as thermal
management capacity to keep
the F-35
weapon system a step ahead.
The F135 engine delivers unparalleled value for the taxpayer, providing a generational leap in performance and reliability at an incremental cost over 4th generation engines commensurate with its world-class design attributes, high tech components, and 5th Generation enabling technologies.
The F135 truly separates itself from 4th generation engines with a range of 5th Generation engine attributes that include substantially increased power and thermal management, engine-flight control integration, and signature management. The capabilities of the F135 provide the warfighter with a critical advantage over adversaries and enables the F-35 to conduct operations in advanced anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) environments, a core element of the National Defense Strategy.
With its advanced damage tolerant design and fully integrated prognostic health monitoring, the F135 has demonstrated exceptional mission capability rates since its first flight in 2006. The F135 is the most reliable fighter engine we’ve ever built, providing warfighters the assurance that it will be ready to meet mission demands.
The F135 was designed for ease of maintenance and affordable sustainment. The F135’s tri-variant commonality, advanced digital health management system, and global sustainment structure – including a shared parts pool & regionalized MRO&U network – provides fleet operators ease of maintenance at reduced operating costs.
Leveraging significant U.S. Government and P&W investment in next generation propulsion technologies, P&W developed the F135 Engine Core Upgrade (ECU) which offers increased thrust, fuel efficiency, as well as thermal management capacity for all F-35 variants. ECU is the lowest risk and most cost-effective modernization solution for the F-35 that can enable full Block 4 capability for the warfighter and reduce billions in sustainment costs for the taxpayer.
We’re committed to the effective stewardship of taxpayer resources and continue to work tirelessly to drive down costs across the program. Having reduced the average production cost of an F135 engine by more than 50%, we are now targeting a similar level of reduction in cost per flight hour. We are doing this through component improvements such as life extensions and limits expansion, new repair processes, spare part cost reduction, and digital technologies.
