I remember P&W said their XA101 can only fit inside F-35A but will have issue with F-35C that will need some development work and impossible to fit in F-35B
Remember that both the XA100 and XA101 are X engines - ground technology demonstrators. The 2024 down select, if they decide to proceed, will be based on proposals where the production configuration and development program will be described to achieve a flight and production capable engines by 2030. There is plenty of time for P&W to make the changes necessary to make their A101 engine fit the F-35C.
Given the way P&W has really leaned hard into pushing EEP, 101 seemingly lagging a bit behind 100 in testing/development milestones, GE's decision to jump in with ceramic matrix composites, and the few morsels of comments by people in the know, it looks like winning a competitive RFP might be the one thing GE is most confident in.
Regarding GE apparent “lead in testing”, you have to be aware that the third phase was altitude testing at AEDC in Tullahoma, TN. This government owned and run facility is the only one in the country capable of simulating inflight inlet and exhaust engine test conditions across the design flight conditions, with both GE and P&W decommissioning their altitude test cells many years ago. With GE scheduled to run their XA100 at AEDC first, P&W has to wait their turn until the facility configured for AETP test is available. The AEDC tests are scheduled months and years in advance.
The AEDC bottleneck is a fair point to raise, but GE's Phase 1 testing at their facility and AEDC wrapped up nearly a year of tests in November of last year, P&W's Phase 1 testing had only started in October of last year. GE now says they've completed Phase 2, but we haven't heard when Pratt's Phase 1 will end yet. This is not to say P&W is struggling or in a bad place with their design, I'm not saying its a dealbreaker. If you wish, you may dismiss the current state of the two companies' test programs entirely and my point still stands: GE seems more confident in their AETP and is making a good case for it, Pratt seems to favor their EEP.
There is still the program for the NGAD engine which both have contracts for.
The Air Force exercised NGAP options that were built into its AETP contract in 2018 itself.
And then give Pratt the engine for the NGAD. Of course all this leaves the F-35B out in the cold. . .
If that's true, the GE's engine might possibly go on to the NGAD or F/A-XX, while P&W's goes to the F-35
Which P&W engine, 101 or EEP? Right at this moment, barring more data coming to light, I'd be pretty surprised if XA101 ends up in F-35. Pratt's EEP has a much better chance as the "lower cost but still moves the needle" engine option...but Congress, or specifically the membership who cares about this, is pushing for a full AETP engine (XA100 or 101) for F-35. The NDAA also includes a mandate for a report on getting an AETP engine fitted to F-35B and C, if GE's right and their design can do all three they're going to have a pretty significant base of support in the legislature. I think there's still potential for a split buy between XA100 and EEP, if F-35B is just too much of a hassle to fully upgrade.
I meant the XE101, because that's what P&W were working on as an AETP for future fighters. I did not know about EEP, but now that I read it at P&W's website, it now looks like that it might be their ATEP package for the F-35, with the XE101 being their package for the NGAD and other future aircraft
I see. A complete AETP engine would have far more fuel efficiency and the capability to be effective at several flight regimes. EEP would be at most, an upgrade to an already-existing engine that may or not have particial or complete Adaptive Engine capabilities. And while AETP can be used for the F-35 and possibly newer fighters, the EEP would be a far more economical choice as it might just be an upgrade package to the F-35's engines to make it far more fuel efficient, and have some limited Adaptive Cycle capabilities.
Assuming they would be able to go straight to full and pure AETPs for F-35s, no matter how expensive, it will be of benefit, that would be for sure. But potentially, a split buy is possible too.
Also given how Advanced the Next Generation Air Dominance would be, it's likely that they may be given far more advanced versions of the AETP instead. At most, the GE XA100 and the P&W XE101 could ultimately just be test engines, or those suited only for the F-35. The actual engines that will be made for the future fighters will be on a whole new level compared to those being studied now. Perhaps the same upgrades can be given to the B-21s as well, possibly the first production models, assuming that the first AETPs are made available by then.
I think that guy is @bring_it_on
Wait who? He's a member here?
I suppose so. But I'd rather keep my eye on things like these, because there may be more than meets the eye.In all those years, all over the web, BiO (BringItOn) has been reliable like a Swiss clockwork.
Believe us, you may want to dustoff the grains of salt. You won't need it.
On what grounds does this contract break Acquisition Rules? Or perhaps the rules have been changed a bit to allow multiple companies to invest and work on the same technology? Air Force did say that they aren't gonna fllow traditional acquisition rules for future aircraft, or something similar to the effect
I see. I guess they're trying something new, and in order to do that, they might have to get around some things that may prove detrimental to the progress of the program
