No second engine for F-35

[Markus]

Senate panel wants to cut F-35 2nd engine


WASHINGTON - A Senate subcommittee on Tuesday included no money in its 2011 budget proposal for an alternate engine to power the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

The appropriations panel sided with the White House and opposed counterparts in the House of Representatives by recommending the most expensive weapons system ever, being developed by a global team led by Lockheed Martin Corp, proceed with a single engine system.

The panel also proposed that the full committee cut production by 10 planes to 32 radar-evading aircraft in its $680.9 billion spending plan that included $157.7 billion to help cover costs of wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and fund counter-terror programs.

"The recommendations that we make to the (full) committee include what some may consider tough measures," said Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye. "We consider them prudent."

Pentagon officials project the F-35 will cost up to $382 billion over the next two decades.

The White House has threatened to veto the spending package if it contains a second engine program, a years-long saga the Obama administration considers wasteful.

The defense appropriations subcommittee in the House approved $450 million for the second engine program in July.

Both engines, if built, are worth up to $100 billion in business, according to industry estimates.

Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp, builds the main F-35 engine. General Electric Co and Britain's Rolls Royce are vying for the second engine.

Supporters of the alternate engine believe added competition will reduce costs and improve performance.

News Headlines

 

[SBD-3]

The article does not mention the additional advantages offered by this second engine over the original one

 

[Jungibaaz]

Now when have you ever saw a single engine aircraft with a double engine variant??

not gonna happen...

 

[SBD-3]

I think its not about the idea of twin engines but a possible alternative option to current one on JSF

 

[file12345]

They mean that there should be two separate programs for the engine of F 35.

Though i think its necessary the engine already to be installed on JSF has more thrust than 2 engines of EF.Though weight of JSF due to some unknown reasons is enormous.

 

[Tang0]

The extra engine is pure politics. Basically, part of the original deal with the JSF was that it was going to be a Multi-National development project with the contracting spread out internationally to share both development cost and and the resultant manufacturing jobs. Part of the original plan was to have some of the engine development happen in Great Britain (Rolls Royce).

The plan changed, Pratt&Whitney already had an engine for the F-22 that they could modify for the F-35, and the pentagon saw a way to minimize development cost. GE and RR were understandably unhappy with this development, given that they would lose billions.

GE and RR both have the cash to aggressively lobby congress, and the UK govt. wants the jobs that this would bring. The pentagon has no interest in spending valuable cash developing a second engine for no good reason. The stage is set for the ensuing drama....

 

[Jigs]

I think some people are confused they are talking about a alternative engine. (not a twin engine F-35 variant) They did the same thing with the F-16 which had a PW and GE engine option.