Pratt & Whitney and U.S. Air Force Initiate First F119 Engine Overhaul

PARIS, June 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- PARIS AIR SHOW -- Pratt & Whitney and the U.S. Air Force have begun to overhaul the first F119 engine to reach its mid-life inspection at the F119 Heavy Maintenance Center (HMC) located at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City, Okla. Two Pratt & Whitney F119 engines provide exclusive power for the U.S. Air Force's F-22 Raptor.  Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company.

The joint USAF and Pratt & Whitney Performance Based Logistics (PBL) team is responsible for developing, validating and implementing overhaul practices for the world's first fifth generation fighter engine.  "The award-winning performance of the F119 PBL team and the outstanding performance of the F119 engine are good indicators of what the services can expect when we field and support the F135 engines powering the F-35 Lightning II," said Chris Flynn, vice president, F135/F119 Engine Programs, Pratt & Whitney. "We are delighted with the exceptional performance of the F119, the only operational fifth generation fighter engine in the world, and proud to partner with our U.S. Air Force customer on this important program."

The F119 is being disassembled on a module-by-module basis.  Each module is undergoing intensive inspection in accordance with pre-established maintenance procedures.  This activity provides the team an opportunity to refine procedures and validate that the HMC is operationally ready for the higher volume of maintenance activity expected, as the entire F119 engine fleet begins to be inducted into the HMC for its first depot overhaul visit.

The F119 engine program has exceeded 380,000 total engine operational hours and nearly 200,000 operational flight hours powering the F-22 Raptors for the U.S. Air Force.

Pratt & Whitney continues to deliver both F119 and F135 engines from the fifth generation production line, with 466 F119 engines and 23 F135 production engines delivered to date. The F135 is the only engine powering the F-35 Lightning II flight test program today with nearly 1,000 flights, 1,450 flight hours and more than 110 flawless vertical landings.  We've achieved these milestones while maintaining a flight test readiness level of 98%. The F119 and the F135 are the only two fifth generation fighter engines in production today.

Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines.  United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and building industries.  Please visit www.utcaero.com for news from Pratt & Whitney and United Technologies at the Paris Air Show 2011.

This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning future business opportunities and operational engine performance. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to changes in funding related to F119 engines and the F-22 program, changes in government procurement priorities and practices or in the number of aircraft to be built; challenges in the design, development, production and support of advanced technologies; as well as other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those detailed from time to time in United Technologies Corp.'s Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

Stephanie Duvall
Pratt & Whitney Military Engines
Int'l Mobile: +1.860.614.0783
[email protected]

SOURCE Pratt & Whitney

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