Pratt says will modify fan blade tips of F135 engine
NEW YORK - United Technologies Corp on Friday said it would immediately modify the first stage fan blade tips of the F135 engine it builds for the Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jet.
Modifications to the forward section of the engine, which was damaged last Friday during a qualification test, will be minor, said Matthew Perra, a spokesman for Pratt & Whitney, the United Technologies unit doing the work.
The work can be done with little to no impact on cost or schedule, he said.
Pratt earlier said the damage occurred during a qualification test on the F135 engine built for the conventional takeoff and landing version of the fighter to be flown by the Air Force.
An initial investigation identified a worn bushing as the potential cause, Perra said.
Pratt & Whitney will immediately implement a modification to the first stage fan blade tips for all F135 initial service release (ISR) flight and production engines, the company.
(Reporting by Deepa Seetharaman)
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