An F136 test engine incurred damage to airfoils in its front fan and compressor area while running at near maximum fan speed last week at General Electric’s facility in Evendale, Ohio, GE Aviation spokesman Rick Kennedy said Tuesday. He said development engine #008 is currently being disassembled for a thorough investigation. “All indications are that the cause of the incident is unique to this engine, and the other test engines are continuing to run,” said Kennedy. F136 test engines have run for more than 1,000 hours since early 2009 without experiencing this issue, he noted. A GE-Rolls Royce team is developing the F136 to power future F-35 strike fighters as a competitive alternative to Pratt & Whitney’s F135. The F136 program is fighting for its survival on Capitol Hill, as the Pentagon leadership wants to halt its development in Fiscal 2011 and proceed solely with the F135.
The Air Force and Boeing agreed to a nearly $2.4 billion contract for a new lot of KC-46 aerial tankers on Nov. 21. The deal, announced by the Pentagon, is for 15 new aircraft in Lot 11 at a cost of $2.389 billion—some $159 million per tail.