Turbine ‘fatigue’ issue forced F-22 engine retrofit, Air Force says
The Air Force worked with engine-maker Pratt & Whitney to fix the planes in the field and during regular maintenance over three years.
By MICHAEL MARROW
on July 13, 2023 at 3:16 PM
WASHINGTON — The Air Force and engine builder Pratt & Whitney have completed a $21 million, fleet-wide retrofit effort for the F-22 Raptor’s dual F119 engines, after identifying what the Air Force told Breaking Defense was a fatigue issue with turbine blades that led to seven class A mishaps, nearly $23 million in damages but no operational interruption.
Brian Brackens, a spokesperson for the Air Force’s Life Cycle Management Center, said that the retrofit was prompted by “[a] low cycle fatigue defect in the 2nd stage Low Pressure Turbine Blades.”
Pratt F119 Engine Program Director Julie Ireland said in a statement that “
- nce root causes had been identified, P&W and the USAF aligned on a corrective action plan, which involved implementing an interim over inspection of production 2nd Stage Turbine Blades while simultaneously making a change in the production process for this part. In pursuing both paths, the issue was eliminated in record time and the fleet was refreshed with inspected and/or updated blades.”
https://breakingdefense.com/2023/07/turbine-fatigue-issue-forced-f-22-engine-retrofit-air-force-says/
