Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp., has delivered the first 10 F117 engines to Boeing to power a fleet of C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force.
India’s Ministry of Defence signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance with the U.S. government in 2011 to acquire 10 C-17s. The first of these C-17 aircraft is now going through a U.S. Air Force flight test program at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The Indian Air Force is scheduled to take delivery of its first five C-17s this year and five in 2014.
“Pratt & Whitney is delighted to be delivering the first batch of engines that will power the Indian Air Force’s C-17 fleet and we’re pleased to have them join the growing international fleet that flies this premium airlifter,” said Bev Deachin, vice president, Military Programs and Customer Support, Pratt & Whitney.
The C-17 Globemaster III – the world’s premier heavy airlifter – is powered by four F117 engines, each rated at 40,440 pounds of thrust. The C-17 transport, exclusively powered by Pratt & Whitney engines, is capable of taking off from a 7,600-foot airfield, carrying a payload of 160,600 pounds, and completing a flight of 2,400 nautical miles without refueling. The F117-PW-100 first entered service in 1993 and is a derivative of Pratt & Whitney’s PW2040 commercial engine. With nearly 10 million hours of proven military service and 50 million hours in commercial use, the F117/PW2040 has consistently proven itself as a world-class dependable engine. Through Pratt & Whitney’s ongoing investment in product improvements, the engine continuously surpasses established goals of time on wing and support turnaround time.
Boeing has delivered 250 C-17s featuring F117 engines worldwide, including 32 to international customers. The U.S. Air Force – including active duty National Guard and Reserve units – has taken delivery of 218 C-17s. Other customers include the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force, the Qatar Emiri Air Force, the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, the 12-member Strategic Airlift Capability initiative of NATO and Partnership for Peace nations, and the United Arab Emirates Air Force and Air Defence.
