Pratt and Whitney, a unit of American firm United Technologies Corporation, has delivered the first four F117 engines for the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III heavy transport aircraft the Indian Air Force (IAF) has purchased.
India’s defence ministry had signed the letter of offer and acceptance with the US government in mid-2011 to acquire 10 four-engined C-17s and the first plane will be delivered by mid-2013.
‘Pratt and Whitney is pleased to deliver the first four F117 engines for the Indian Air Force’s C17 program,’ Bev Deachin, the company’s military programs and customer support vice president, said.
‘We look forward to a continued partnership with India as we complete the remaining F117 engines to fulfill this contract,’ he said.
Prat and Whitney had been awarded the contract to deliver the engines for IAF’s C17s in December 2011.
The F117PW100 is the sister engine of Pratt and Whitney’s PW2040 commercial engine, which powers the Boeing 757.
The F117/PW2037 engine has more than 50 million hours of military and commercial use.
‘Pratt and Whitney’s ongoing investment in product improvements has enabled the engine to continuously surpass established goals for time on wing, inflight shut downs and supportturnaround time,’ according to a press release from the company.
Boeing has delivered 244 C-17s featuring F117 engines worldwide, including 28 to international customers.
The US Air Force, including the active National Guard and Reserve units, has taken delivery of 216 C-17s.
Other customers include the Royal Air Force, the Qatar Emiri Air Force, the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, the 12-member Strategic Airlift Capability initiative of NATO and Partnership for Peace nations, and the United Arab Emirates Air Force and Air Defence.
Pratt and Whitney designs, manufactures and services aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines.
United Technologies, based in Hartford, Connecticut, is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and building industries.