The Pentagon has conceived the creation of options for a more efficient and powerful F135 engine of the fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II fighter, [...] Defense News reports.
The publication says that the planned modernization of this aircraft "with the help of a set of new weapons, computing technologies and software" is due to improvements in Russian and Chinese fighters and air defense systems.
It is expected that the new power units will increase the range of aircraft by 11 percent, and the developed thrust by 10 percent. The total savings from the introduction of the updated F135 are estimated at $ 40 billion. The expected period of implementation of improvements is the next decade.
Defense News admits that in the United States, instead of the F135, they can develop a completely new engine.
In July, The Drive publication wrote that the F-35 Lightning II engines began to rapidly degrade around the world. The reason for this was the rapid wear of the heat-protective coating (degradation of calcium-magnesium aluminosilicate) of the rotor blades of the F135 power plant.
In April, Defense News, referring to the statement of the head of the Military Engines division of the American company Pratt & Whitney, Matthew Bromberg, reported that the exclusion of Turkey from the F-35 Lightning II program increases the cost of the F135 engine for this aircraft by three percent.
In July 2020, the head of the Turkish Defense Industry secretariat, Ismail Demir, said that the costs of the F-35 Lightning II program after the exclusion of Turkish contractors from it will increase by $ 600 million and will additionally lead to an increase in the price of each such aircraft by $ 7-9 million.
Ivan Potapov
