Pratt & Whitney, the engine maker for the F-35 stealth fighter, is upset with Lockheed Martin’s support for a new jet engine that could potentially replace Pratt’s engine in the future. Tensions arose at the Paris Air Show when Pratt accused Lockheed of misleading statements and trying to market the F-35 as a sixth-generation fighter jet. The Adaptive Engine Transition Program (AETP) aims to develop a fuel-efficient engine for future warplanes, potentially benefiting both the F-35 and the Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance fighter jet.
Key points:
- Pratt & Whitney is unhappy with Lockheed Martin’s support for a new engine that could replace Pratt’s engine in the F-35 fighter jet.
- The Adaptive Engine Transition Program (AETP) is an Air Force initiative to develop a powerful and fuel-efficient engine for future warplanes, potentially benefiting the F-35 and the Next Generation Air Dominance fighter jet.
- The Air Force’s fiscal 2024 budget proposal aims to end funding for the AETP engine and continue with Pratt’s proposed upgrade to the F-35’s current engine, but Lockheed has publicly expressed support for the new engine.
- Pratt executives argue that combining Pratt’s engine upgrade with an upgraded power and thermal management system can provide sufficient power and cooling for the F-35 beyond Block 4, eliminating the need for a new engine.
- Both Pratt & Whitney and Lockheed Martin have faced challenges in delivering upgrades and engines for the F-35 program.
