Don't even try to lie about this wayward program.
Investigators discovered (click here) an impurity and fatigue crack in the disk, and traced this defect all the way back to the initial ingot formation in 1971. Titanium when melted reacts with air which creates impurities; to prevent this, the ingot which would become the fan disk was formed using a "double vacuum" process: the raw materials were melted together in a vacuum, allowed to cool and solidify, then melted in a vacuum once more. Afterwards, the ingot was shaped into a billet, a sausage-like form about 16 inches in diameter, and tested using ultrasound to look for defects. Defects were located and the ingot was further processed to remove them. However, some contamination remained.
The manufacturing of any type of engine is exposed to stress and fatigue. It doesn't matter that the jets don't have the exact engine. It is the metal comprising the engines. The F35 was NOT due for refitting of engines until 2020.
Rolls-Royce has developed the engine, but, is in production with General Electric.
The Pentagon on Friday (click here) suspended the flights of all F-35 fighter planes after a routine inspection revealed a crack on a turbine blade in the jet engine of an F-35 test aircraft in California.
The F-35 program office said it was to early to know the fleet-wide impact of the engine issue, but it was suspending all flights until an investigation into the issue was completed.
It said it was working closely with Pratt & Whitney, the United Technologies Corp unit which builds the engine for the fighter, and Lockheed Martin Corp, the prime contractor for the radar-evading warplane, to ensure the integrity of the engine and return the F-35 fleet to flight as soon as possible.
The engine to the F35 was suppose to become a part of the ADVENT program with the USA military. The ADVENT program seeks higher fuel efficiency in their operations and assets. If the F-35 continues to be a part of the USA military we would be throwing good money after bad. It is not reasonable to continue this program. The overruns will extend into the next decade and add huge financial burdens to the USA people. The F-35 contracts need to be closed and ended.
It is over for this aircraft!
09:03 11 Jun 2009
STEPHEN TRIMBLE WASHINGTON DC
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) could be the beneficiary around 2020 of a major engine upgrade if the F136 is not eliminated, a Rolls-Royce executive tells FlightGlobal.com
The F-35's propulsion system has become the main target for the Adaptive Versatile Engine Technology (ADVENT) engine competition managed by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), replacing the postponed next generation bomber (NGB).
"I think we do have a first point of entry [for ADVENT] identified regardless of what happens with NGB, and that is JSF," said Dennis Jarvi, president of Rolls' defence business in North America....
Rolls is currently a junior partner to General Electric for developing the F136 alternate engine for JSF. Meanwhile, GE and Rolls-Royce are competing for a Phase 2 contract by AFRL for the next round of ADVENT funding.
ADVENT technology, which promises a 25% increase in fuel efficiency or a corresponding boost in thrust, "would fit very nicely into something like F136," Jarvi said....
