F119 engine achieves 50,000 flight hours
The Pratt & Whitney F119 engine has logged more than 50,000 operational flight hours, a major
milestone for the engine program. Pratt & Whitney’s F119 is the only fifth generation fighter engine in operational service and is the exclusive power source for the United States Air Force’s F-22 Raptor.
“This engine continues to establish benchmarks for fighter engine safety and reliability,” said Chris Flynn, Pratt & Whitney F119 program director. “These standards demonstrate the robust capability of Pratt & Whitney’s latest operational engine and we are proud of this important
accomplishment.”
The F-22 team was awarded the 2006 Collier Trophy, one of aviations top honors, and the F119 team participated as the propulsion provider. This engine features a unique thrust-vectoring nozzle, allowing unprecedented speed, agility, precision and situational awareness combined with air-to-ground and air-to-air combat capabilities. Powered by two F119s, the F-22 is able to supercruise, or achieve supersonic speeds without the use of the afterburner. A derivative of the F119, the F135 engine, powers the new F-35 Lightning II, which completed its first flight in December 2006, and continues to power the F-35 flight test program.
F119-powered F-22 Raptors currently operate from Langley Air Force Basen(AFB), Va.; Edwards AFB, Calif.; Nellis AFB, Nev.; Tyndall AFB, Fla.; and Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, as of August 8.
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