Second JSF Engine From Rolls-Royce And GE Facing Crisis Of Confidence

One of the most contentious programs of the last ten years has been the idea of having a second source for the Joint Strike Fighter’s (JSF) engine. The Obama Administration had requested no money for the Rolls-Royce (RR) and General Electric (GE) project but many in Congress have consistently supported it.

In fact in the 2010 Defense Authorization Bill signed by the President last week provided for the program to continue. That does not mean there will necessarily be any money in the Appropriations Bill when it emerges from the House and Senate Conference Committee sometime in the next few weeks. It does indicate how much some want to keep the alternate power plant going.

The arguments for doing this are twofold. First the F136 engine provides risk reduction for the entire F-35 JSF program if problems develop with the primary Pratt & Whitney (UTC) engine. Second it allows more rapid production and supports larger quantities as some aircraft could be built with either engine. The program though is expensive with over $341 million programmed in 207 and $480 million in 2008. Congress kept another roughly $400 million for 2009 to keep the program going.

As with any controversial program like this it has its advocates in business, the media and Congress. This means that any little set back in either the Pratt & Whitney or the competing engine program will be seized on to justify the other. This happened recently with the F136 engine. A problem developed with one part in testing and this led many to claim that this was a major set back and a sign that the program should not continue. This was compared to how well the P&W system has done in its testing. The two developers say that it is a normal part of development testing and will be fixed.

This is how the argument will go until the bill is out and signed by Obama. The chances of him vetoing it over this is considered minimal. The House deliberately used funding from outside the core JSF program to keep the second engine going to defeat arguments that it was taking away from the important production piece. This was done deliberately to counter that argument.

Even so the stakes are higher for the alternate engine. Unless there is a demonstrated future need or performance advantage every year the budget is submitted this fight will occur again. It is up to Rolls and GE to generate their own pressure on their opponents by demonstrating the engines capabilities and value. Any slip up like the test issue will be used to make the case against their product.