MIDDLETOWN, Conn., Jan. 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Pratt & Whitney will deliver the final production F117 engine to the U.S. Air Force for its C-17 Globemaster III fleet later this month. A ceremony commemorating delivery of 1,313 production engines will be held later today at Pratt & Whitney's engine center in Middletown, Connecticut, and will include representatives from the U.S. Air Force and Boeing. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) company.
"This is a bittersweet occasion for those of us who have played a part in developing and delivering the F117 engine to our customers over the years," said Bennett Croswell, president, P&W Military Engines. "The F117 production engine program might be ending, but we look forward to working with our customers around the world to sustain their engines and to keep the C-17 fleet flying for decades to come."
Pratt & Whitney's F117 engine is a member of the company's PW2000 family of commercial engines, known for powering the Boeing 757. Four F117 engines power the C-17, and each engine is rated at 40,440 pounds of thrust which enables the aircraft to carry a payload of 164,900 pounds and fly 2,400 nautical miles without refueling. The F117 engine first entered service in 1993. With more than 12 million hours of proven military service and 50 million hours in commercial use, F117/PW2040 engines have consistently proven to be world-class dependable engines. Through Pratt & Whitney's ongoing investment in product improvements, the engine continuously surpasses established goals of time on-wing and support turnaround time.
"The legacy of this production program is defined by world-class engine reliability and dependability, which would not have been possible without the talent and dedication of the present and past Pratt & Whitney employees," said Brig. Gen. Stacey T. Hawkins, director of Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection for the U.S. Air Force Air Mobility Command. "The U.S. Air Force relies on the C-17 to enable our global mobility mission. The fact is, the workhorse C-17 and its F117 powerplant ensure we are able to project power around the globe during times of conflict, or to deliver aid and comfort in times of crisis."
F117 engines power nine C-17 fleets around the world, including the Royal Australian Air Force, the British Royal Air Force, the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Qatar Emiri Air Force, the United Arab Emirates Air Force, the Indian Air Force, the NATO Airlift Management Programme, and the Kuwaiti Air Force in addition to the U.S. Air Force.
Pratt & Whitney will live tweet from the ceremony beginning at 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 12, using the hashtags #C17 and #FinalF117 on Twitter. Video and images from the F117 final engine delivery ceremony will be posted to Pratt & Whitney's website.
About Pratt & Whitney
Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines and auxiliary power units. United Technologies Corp., based in Farmington, Connecticut, provides high-technology systems and services to the building and aerospace industries. To learn more about UTC, visit its website at www.utc.com, or follow the company on Twitter: @UTC.
This press release contains forward-looking statements concerning future business opportunities. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to changes in government procurement priorities and practices, budget plans and availability of funding, and in the number of aircraft to be built; challenges in the design, development, production and support of advanced technologies; as well as other risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to those detailed from time to time in United Technologies Corp.'s Securities and Exchange Commission filings.
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SOURCE Pratt & Whitney