Purpose-built and gaining momentum: The F135 global industrial base
The global supply base and the production and sustainment networks for the F135 engine are the result of years of investment, competition and collaboration among international partners. Momentum is strong – but there is uncertainty ahead as the F-35 program considers different propulsion modernization paths, which may limit the return on investment and impact the affordability of the enterprise.
On any given day – at six locations across four countries and four time zones – a flurry of activity is underway to ensure aircraft in the F-35 fleet are mission-ready.
Across this global network, skilled technicians – including mechanics, process engineers, customer support engineers, quality engineers and logistics personnel – perform a range of activities supporting the F135 engine, from production to maintenance, repair, overhaul & upgrade (MRO&U) to delivery. Pratt & Whitney employees work hand in hand with suppliers, commercial entities and ministries of defense to deliver unrivaled performance to the warfighter.
The interconnected nature of this global industrial base underscores how international partnerships and alliances are critical to the F-35 program. The way that the United States and partners around the world are successful in their security and defense strategies is a joint approach to the future. Pratt & Whitney has developed the global industrial base for the F135 over the past 20 years, working across 15 international partners, suppliers, and production and sustainment networks all over the world.
This sustainment infrastructure is purpose-built – the regional sustainment network was competitively bid and announced by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) in 2014, with stand up in the Netherlands, Norway and Australia completed within the last year and a half, and Japan targeted to come on line this summer. The U.S. Navy’s Fleet Readiness Center Southeast (FRCSE) is the next MRO&U facility slated to come on line in 2024. The foundation is in place to support repair and overhaul needs of the F135 for years to come. Yet the ability of the network to deliver on its promise hangs in the balance, as the DOD weighs options to modernize the F-35 propulsion system. If a brand new engine is selected to power the F-35, there will be far-reaching, negative impacts on the program’s global industrial base, including the sustainment network and supply chain.
The strength of interoperability and collaboration
The commonality across the network – the same tooling, processes and technical data – enables the ability to share and move support equipment and spares to partners around the world. This integrated global pool of spare engines and power modules shared by all program partners is a hallmark of the F-35 enterprise.
Establishing an integrated, global sustainment network doesn’t happen overnight. The existing structure of MRO&U facilities, or depots, is more than a decade in the making, representing years of planning, investment, construction, relationship building with suppliers, deployments, training and qualification. As a result, partner countries realize significant benefits to their workforce and industry in the form of high-quality jobs and technical expertise gained from the maintenance and repair of the most advanced fighter engine in the world.
With a strong, established foundation in place, the network is primed for growth. Capacity has expanded in the United States and internationally; since 2021, three regional engine depots – located in Australia, the Netherlands and Norway – have become fully operational, and a fourth – located in Japan – will be active in the summer of 2023. The global network more than doubled output in 2021 compared to 2020 and increased output by 60 percent in 2022. Momentum is strong ahead of regularly scheduled maintenance of the F135 – with first planned inductions occurring in the second quarter of 2023.
“Now that the sustainment network is in place, the regional depots will get the payoff for all of that hard work,” said Lisa Finklestein, Pratt & Whitney’s director of F135 international business development. With scheduled maintenance around the corner, the regional depots “are ready to participate at the right time.”
In addition to the sustainment enterprise, a network of suppliers for the F135 has been established over the last decade-plus. “There is a well-established process with suppliers in partner countries to facilitate them competing to produce parts that go on the engine,” added Finklestein. As long-term agreements expire and parts are modified, there are continual opportunities for partner countries and their suppliers to compete for workshare on a best value basis.
Collaboration among allies and partners is integral to the F-35 program’s structure and success. “It’s a joint program – the benefit of that is a global sustainment structure and global supply chain,” said Caroline Cooper, Pratt & Whitney’s senior director for F135 strategy. When partner nations and the foreign military sales community selected the F-35, they bought more than aircraft – they also bought into a joint program where they invest in sustainment operations and the supply base. But these investments may be at risk, based on the outcome of pivotal decisions regarding the future of the F-35.
At an inflection point
The DOD has plans to update the F-35; this effort includes modernization of the aircraft’s propulsion system. Officials are considering what’s known as an adaptive engine – a brand new engine that would require full engine removal and replacement and further aircraft integration and modifications. Additionally, this approach is not compatible with the short take-off and vertical landing F-35B aircraft, resulting in a bifurcated fleet.
“With a bifurcated fleet, you would have to create an additional sustainment infrastructure and supply chain – which is costly and disruptive,” said Cooper. “What’s at stake are the investments that have already been made, the jobs and opportunities that have been gained. The risks are disrupting an established international program and adding significant costs.”
The F-35’s global sustainment network is designed to generate economies of scale. The success of the investments made in the network to date is dependent on MRO&U volume across the full enterprise. Ultimately, a new engine negatively impacts the F135 global supply chain and sustainment network – upending volume forecasts and projected revenue for partner countries.
“For the supply base, going with a new engine is essentially starting over,” added Finklestein. “Establishing relationships, opportunities to compete, the supply chain, getting export infrastructure in place, licenses – it all starts over. It has taken 20 years of investment and activity to get to the point that we’re at now.”
A more affordable, practical and efficient option for the F-35 is Pratt & Whitney’s Engine Core Upgrade – a drop in upgrade for the F-35, replacing only parts of the engine power module at either production or overhaul. The core upgrade leverages the existing export infrastructure and is compatible with all three variants of the aircraft.
As a derivative design, the Engine Core Upgrade builds upon the same proven architecture of the F135. Based on operational experience, today’s F135 is the safest fighter engine ever produced – with more than 600,000 flight hours of safe and dependable operation.
The Engine Core Upgrade boosts the original F135’s performance, maintaining full engine life while providing capability for the power and thermal requirements for Block 4 and beyond, while improving thrust and range. It also keeps about two-thirds of the existing engine’s parts – meaning it is easier and less expensive to produce than a new engine. In fact, the upgrade is production cost neutral.
Upgrading will cost less than a new engine in part because it avoids the standup of a duplicative sustainment network. Additionally, the Engine Core Upgrade does not change the workshare with current partners, domestically and globally.
The Engine Core Upgrade leverages the extensive development and operational learning of the F135, and has a production and depot ramp capable of providing meaningful fielded capability for DoD and partners by 2030.
Upgrading the current engine is the only option that meets or exceeds all F-35 Block 4 electrical power and cooling capacity needs and ensures deployment by the end of the decade.
“What matters to the warfighter is getting as many Block 4-enabled jets fielded as possible. That is what matters in the future fight,” said Jen Latka, Pratt & Whitney’s vice president of the F135 engine program. “We can field an upgrade to the existing engine a lot faster than fielding a brand new engine. So, from a warfighter perspective, an upgrade is the right solution.”
Stronger together
As the world faces new threats and conflicts, the F-35 program has consistently demonstrated the necessity of interoperability among allies and partners. While officials weigh options to modernize the F-35’s propulsion system, the immutable fact remains: there is no need to disrupt the current network of depots and suppliers when a much simpler and more cost-effective approach is available. The Engine Core Upgrade delivers the capability that our warfighters need to meet the evolving threat environment, while benefiting the economies of the United States and our partners around the world.