Second engine problem to delay F-35 testing

A problem with a failed engine part is likely to delay both ground and flight testing on the second F-35 test aircraft and has the potential to cause further political and budget issues for the Pentagon’s largest new weapons program.

In a reoccurrence of a problem first discovered last summer, a crack was discovered Monday in a turbine blade following ground testing of a Pratt & Whitney engine built for the F-35 joint strike fighter.

That engine was to have been delivered soon to Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth for installation in the second test aircraft, which was to begin ground tests in the next month or so.

First test flight was scheduled for May or June.

A Pratt & Whitney executive said Wednesday the engine problem would likely lead to at least a 30-day delay and perhaps more. Lockheed issued a statement saying it was studying the issue with Pratt & Whitney and the Pentagon’s F-35 Joint Program Office to determine how to proceed.

The problem first turned up in engine tests last summer. Pratt & Whitney began studying the issue, believed to involve unforeseen stress on the turbine compressor blades. The blades have been redesigned and new ones will be delivered this summer.

In the meantime, Pratt & Whitney devised a series of tests to try and predict when the problem might reoccur and were confident with the results until Monday when the engine was disassembled and inspected.

“It’s not a new issue. It’s disappointing we didn’t notice it until the part cracked,” said Bill Gostic, Pratt & Whitney executive running the engine program.

- Bob Cox

Comments

[Chris]

Did you mean "recurrence" of a problem? Things don't "reoccur;" in basic English, they "recur."

Anybody proofreading the blog?