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Engine trouble...

Discussion in 'Aviation Chat' started by Auraraptor, Feb 16, 2011.

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  1. Auraraptor

    Auraraptor F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Sep 25, 2002
    13,972
    MO
    Full Name:
    Omar
    #1 Auraraptor, Feb 16, 2011
  2. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jul 19, 2008
    39,169
    Clarksville, Tennessee
    Full Name:
    Terry H Phillips
    #2 tazandjan, Feb 16, 2011
    A big push for the RR/GE engine was the UK's participation in the V/STOL F-35B. The UK was going to be the second biggest user of the F-35B after the USMC. The UK has now decided to completely cancel their F-35B order and convert to catapult launch carrier operations to be more compatible with USN and French carriers. So one of the original big reasons for the engine is gone.

    Congress is pushing this one. DoD has said they do not want or need a second engine source. The fact it will be built in the Speaker's state of Ohio is about the only thing keeping it alive right now.

    Taz
    Terry Phillips
     
  3. Auraraptor

    Auraraptor F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Sep 25, 2002
    13,972
    MO
    Full Name:
    Omar
    #3 Auraraptor, Feb 16, 2011
    Just the insight I was looking for! Thanks!
     
  4. solofast

    solofast Formula 3

    Oct 8, 2007
    1,773
    Indianapolis
    #4 solofast, Feb 16, 2011
    Last edited: Feb 16, 2011
    Not good news in Evildale or Indy, but this engine has been on the short list of things not to do for a long time... My personal opinion is that it was a waste of money at this point, but it isn't dead yet, it's just on life support, it remains to be seen if they can actually pull the plug.

    I worked on the program in 2004 and was in all of the top level meetings, the guys working the program were doing a good job, it was being done right, which means it wasn't done on the cheap. There were some advantages to the GE engine in terms of commonality between the STOVL version and the normal airplane, the GE engine was one engine with some mods where the P&W engine had a lot more different pieces between versions.

    The proponents will all claim the "competition" experience of the "great fighter engine war" between P&W and GE was going to save a bunch of money. Problem was the costs for engines into the future was already locked in, so the benefits are already here. Having two different engines also is a logistical mess because now there were going to be units with GE engines and units with P&W engines and you can't trade airplanes between units, never mind the two logistics tails..

    GE will fight like he!! to keep it in the budget, but Obama can't let his position on this change or it will look like his buddy Immelt had some influence and Obama can't afford that at this point. Last year he was threatening a veto over the issue and he can't support it now.
     

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