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F110-GE-129 testing
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The USA’s F-16 fleet is an aging fleet that is exceeding its “design life” of 8,000 Total Accumulated Cycles by an average 485 TACs. While most of the original F-16s were fitted with the Same Pratt & Whitney F100 engine that’s in the F-15 Eagle fleet, many of the F-16C/Ds were fitted with GE’s more powerful F110 instead.

Now General Electric Aircraft Engines of Cincinnati, OH has received a firm-fixed price contract modification for $15.6 million, to buy redesigned mixing ducts and 2 flame-holder segments. This is a sole source, 4 plus-year requirements type contract, with a basic period of 15 months and 3 one-year options. In combination with the F110 Services Life Extension Program (see $61.2M FY07 contract | $69.7M FY08 contract), this contract is designed to help extend the life of the F110-GE-100/129 engines to 2025. 748 CBSG/PKP at Tinker Air Force Base, OK issued the contract (FA8104-05-D-0042-P00006).

The redesigned hardware is meant to address the fact that…

”...augmenter/exhaust nozzle section is a leading contributor to labor intensive unscheduled engine removals in direct relation to excessively repaired parts that are subject to thermal variances.” In English, the engines develop unexpected problems far too often, and a few often-repaired parts that get heated a lot cause most of the problems. The augmenter/exhaust nozzle section was a leading contributor, and a complete engine re-design was accomplished under the Component Improvement Program ordered by ASC/LPK.

The new mixing duct incorporates redesigned support hangers and outer lugs at all flame-holder attachment locations. The design also incorporates replaceable inserts made from L605 material coated with chromium carbide on both face surfaces. The new flame-holders themselves consist of a 10-piece design that has the mid and outer rings split at 10 locations, which reduces heat-induced stresses that cause cracks to begin in the rings.