Another $50.5M to Upgrade American F110 Jet Engines

Nov 28, 2010 14:25 UTC

F-16C Block 30s

General Electric Aviation of Cincinnati, OH received a $50.5 million contract modification which will provide newly redesigned High Pressure Compressor and High Pressure Turbine assemblies, newly redesigned Aging Engine Upgrade Components, initial provisioning spares, and new technical data to support the F110-GE-100/-129 jet engines’ Service Life Extension Plan (SLEP) and Aging Engine Upgrade initiatives. At this time, the entire amount has been committed by the 448th SCMG/PKBC at Tinker Air Force Base, OK.

The F110-GE-100 engine flies in USAF F-16C/D Block 30 and Block 40 aircraft. The F110-GE-129 engine, which first entered service in 1992, equips F-16 Block 50 aircraft, which is the most recent USAF production version. Although Pratt & Whitney’s F100 was the initial engine for all F-16s, its maintenance and performance problems escalated to the point that the USAF began buying the newly-developed GE F110 engine instead, which featured more reliability and higher thrust. It also required a larger air inlet, hence the “bigmouth” F-16 designs from Block 30/32 onward. The resulting competition has spurred both manufacturers to improve their products over the years, and Pratt & Whitney’s F100-PW-229 has scored a number of recent wins among international F-16 customers, but most serving USAF F-16s fly with GE’s F110 engine.

As the 2005 contract date implies, this award is just one of a long series. The F110 SLEP upgrade uses technology from the CFM56-7 commercial engine core in use by modern 737s, 3D aero technology, and a redesigned flow path with changes to the combustor and high-pressure turbine. GE believes these changes provide up to a 25% improvement in cost-per-flying-hour, a significant time-on-wing increase, and elimination of special inspections, and estimates the potential life-long savings at approximately $1 billion for 800 F110 engines (FA8104-05-C-0053, PO0018).

$44.2M to GE for F-16s’ F110 Engine Upgrades

Nov 29, 2009 15:24 UTC

F110-GE-129 testing

General Electric Aviation in Cincinnati, OH received a $44.2 million contract modification to provide redesigned High Pressure Compressor (HPC) and High Pressure Turbine (HPT) assemblies, redesigned Aging Engine Upgrade (AEU) components, initial provisioning spares, and new technical data to support the Service Life Extension Plan (SLEP) and AEU initiatives to keep the US F-16 fleet’s F110 engines running.

DID has more coverage of orders placed under this contract.

The GE F110 was developed as an engine alternative to Pratt & Whitney’s original F100, and has since become popular in F-16s due to its higher thrust. Most of the USAF’s current F-16 fleet currently flies with F110 engines.

$69.7M for F-16s’ F110 Engine Upgrades

Nov 12, 2007 15:30 UTC

F110-GE-129 testing

The F-16 originally shipped with Pratt & Whitney’s F-100 engine, giving it commonality with the USA’s high-end F-15 Eagles. While the engine was a marvel of its time and its 1:1+ thrust-weight ratio offered the fighter strong performance, rival GE would eventually develop the higher-thrust F110 engine and capture the majority of the market for USAF F-16C/D variants. That success would later be cited in arguments to retain the GE/Rolls Royce F136 as a second engine option for the F-35 Lightning II.

General Electric Aircraft Engines of Cincinnati, OH recently received a firm-fixed price contract modification for $69.7 million to provide for newly redesigned High Pressure Compressor (HPC) and High Pressure Turbine (HPT) assemblies, and new redesigned Aging Engine Upgrade components to support the Service Life Extension Plan (SLEP) and Aging Engine Upgrade (AEU) initiatives applicable to keep the US F-16 fleet’s F110-GE-100/129 engines running for an other 20 years. DID covered a similar contract in December 2006, and some of the engine’s updates were also touted in GEAE’s sale of improved F110-GE-129s to Saudi Arabia. There, they will equip part of the Saudi F-15S Strike Eagle fleet, which currently uses the F100 engine.

USAF F-16s

The F110 improvements include the core of a successful CFM56 commercial engine, 3D aero technology, and the upgrades noted above. Together, they reportedly provide up to a 25% improvement in cost-per-flying hour, a significant on-wing increase, and elimination of special inspections. Tinker Air Force Base, OK holds the F-16 fleet upgrade contract, and all funds for this US contract have been obligated (FA8104-05-C-0053-P00012).

$61.2M for GE Engine Upgrades to Keep the USA’s F-16 Fleet Flying

Dec 06, 2006 07:04 UTC

F110-GE-129 testing

General Electric Co. in Cincinnati, OH received a $61.2 million firm-fixed-price and fixed-quantity contract modification. This action provides for a newly redesigned high pressure compressor and high pressure turbine assemblies in GE’s F110 series engines, and newly redesigned engine upgrade components to support the service life extension plan and aging engine upgrade initiatives. This contract is part of a program designed to get 20 more years of operational life from the USA’s F-16 fleet. While the DefenseLINK release describes the engines as F100s, Pratt & Whitney’s F100 has become a less of a presence in the USA’s F-16 fleet, whose newer aircraft are generally equipped with the more powerful GE F110.

Work will be complete by December 2008. The Headquarters Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center at Tinker Air Force Base, OK issued the contract (FA8104-05-C-0053/P00009).

GE Wins $57.8M Contract to Support F-16 Fleet

Mar 02, 2005 08:42 UTC

The F-16 fighter fleet is expected to be part of the U.S. arsenal for the next 20 years. As part of that plan, General Electric Co. of Cincinnati, OH negotiated a $57.8M firm fixed price, fixed quantity contract to redesign certain components, put some new component spares in the logistics pipeline, and otherwise support the life-extension and upgrade program for 95 of the fighters’ F100-GE-100/129 jet engines. Solicitation for this contract began September 2004, negotiations were completed February 2005 and the work will be complete by June 2006. The Headquarters Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center at Tinker Air Force Base, OK issued this contract (FA8104-05-C-0053).