Rolls-Royce this week said it signed a $131 million contract with Pratt & Whitney [UTX] to supply LiftSystems for the first six Short Take- Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) variant F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft.
“STOVL technology is a huge asset for Rolls-Royce and the company has played a pioneering role in its development since the launch of the Pegasus engine for the Harrier in the late 1950s,” Axel Arendt, president of Defence at Rolls-Royce, said. “With the F-35 project we are utilizing the latest technologies to power the next generation of STOVL aircraft.”
The company called the order “significant” and said it and represents the first production contract for Rolls-Royce as part of its involvement in the world’s biggest-ever defense procurement program.
The Rolls-Royce LiftSystem comprises a LiftFan, Roll Posts and three Bearing Swivel Module.
Rolls-Royce will provide these through the propulsion system prime contractor Pratt & Whitney, with parts deliveries beginning as early as next month. The scope of the contract also includes spare hardware, production investment and sustainment planning.
“The LiftSystem program is rapidly gaining momentum on both sides of the Atlantic and this significant step forward puts us firmly into the production phase for this game- changing aircraft,” Simon Henley, program director for New Product Introduction at Rolls-Royce, added.
Orders for the LiftSystem are expected to total over 600, with leading customers including the Marine Corps, the United Kingdom Armed Forces and the Italian navy. The F-35B variant is expected to remain in service well after 2050.