Engines
F135 Engine Core Upgrade Clears Design Review
F135 engine upgrade restores service life and meets future power demands
F-35
The F-35 is set to get an engine-core upgrade in 2029. © David McIntosh@AIN

Pratt & Whitney has completed a preliminary design review of its Engine Core Upgrade (ECU) program for the F135 powerplant installed in all versions of the Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter. The review affirmed that the program is on track to introduce the upgrade to new and in-service engines in 2029.

The engine OEM developed the ECU to address two specific requirements. The first concerns the diminished service life of the F135 as a result of higher-than-anticipated demands on the engine in service, which in some cases have been more than double those in the original specification. The ECU can be retrofitted during routine depot maintenance.

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