Pratt & Whitney delivered the first F135 lot 3 production engine for the F-35 strike fighter program last week. The engines in this batch incorporate modifications and improvements based on F-35 flight testing. “Delivery of our 21st production engine is a significant milestone for the F-35 program, as we continue to deliver a more mature and capable F135 engine to meet the evolving needs of the warfighter,” said Bennett Croswell, Pratt’s vice president of F135/F119 engine programs, in the company’s release. “In doing so, we continue reducing costs to produce a more affordable and reliable product for our customers.” Pratt wants to be the sole supplier of F-35 engines, but a General Electric-Rolls Royce team is fighting Pentagon efforts to kill its F136 as a competing option. (See also Pratt Responds on F135 Quality from the Daily Report archives.)
A semi-autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft drone shot down an air-to-air target in a Dec. 8 test supported by the U.S. Air Force, a notable milestone in the development of the loyal wingman-type drones that will join the fleets of the USAF, other American services, and allies and adversaries.
