Pentagon Says F-35 flights because of crack blade Engine

Suspended the Pentagon said on Friday that flights of all fighter aircraft F-35 51 after a routine inspection revealed a crack on the turbine blades in jet engine of the F-35 test in California: Washington.It was the second foundation of military aircraft in two monthsand discriminate another setback for the 396 billion F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, the Pentagon has already been program.The largest weapons program restructuring three times in recent years, and may face further cuts if Congress does not avoid budget cuts due to come into force in March 1.The Office of the F-35 program and said it was too early to know whether this issue on the scope of the fleet, but it had suspended all flights until the completion of the investigation. Affected a total of 51 aircraft F-35, including 17 that are used to test and use 34 per training in Florida and Arizona.It She works closely with Pratt & Whitney, a unit United Technologies Corp and that builds the engine, and Lockheed Martin Corp., the contractor the aircraft's main radar-evading, to ensure the safety of the engine and return fleet of F-35 flight as soon as possible.The program tries to support orders from eightforeign countries that help fund the development of the aircraft. "Given the scrutiny they are under political and because of concerns about cost and performance, and this is not good news," said space analyst Richard Aboulafia with Virginia-based Teal. Although it is not clear how serious the issue, said last bases long could delay the program's ability to complete the test flight aggressive schedule these Pentagon said Wu F-35 program office began notified heads the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps in late on Thursday on the issue of the engine and the decision put an end to the use of aircraft, said Kyra Hawn, a spokeswoman for the program office.Major Bodgan Christopher General, who heads the program F-35, made the decision to put an end to the use of F-35 on Thursday before traveling to an air show in Australia, according to a source familiar with the expected that issue.Australia to take a decision in three weeks or the next six on whether to reduce its 100 F-35S and purchase of Boeing aircraft and fighter said co F/A-18 instead.She that a routine inspection at Edwards Air Force Base in force California on February 19 revealed a crack in the low-pressure turbine blade, which is part of the F135 engine for the F-35's. The blade on the 35-FA model, or alternative air force, which stem from the land and traditional spokesman Matthew runways.Pratt said inspection showed "an indication of a crack" on the low-pressure turbine stage 3 airfoil. He said the company is working closely with the U.S. Department of Defense, Lockheed and services for military aircraft flying again.Engineering teams and remove turbine blade from the plane and plan to ship it to the Pratt engine facility in Middletown, Connecticut, to more accurately assess and analyze the root causes, according to the Ministry of Defense said that it is expected Pratt.Hawn preliminary analysis next week. The foundation comes in the wake of nearly foundations for a month of Marine variant of the warplane new after defect manufacturing caused the fuel line to separate before a training flight in the Marine Corps Florida.The variant of the 35-F, which stem from shorter runways and land like a helicopter, was sufficient justification for almost a month after the separation of the fuel line before a training flight at Eglin Air Force Base in case January.That show later that caused by a manufacturing defect. Lifted and the Ministry of Defense and U.S. Navy aviation restrictions on the form-B plane flew on Feb.13.Pilots ten F-35 flights in the air base in Florida on Wednesday after the discovery of the blade crack in the state of California, and the Marine Corps marked the first operational flight of 35 - F B-form in the day on Thursday.