HomeNewsArticle Display

Partnership signed after years of work for F117

  • Published
  • By Brandice J. Armstrong
  • Tinker Public Affairs
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Three years worth of work finally came to fruition Sept. 14 with the signing of an agreement between the 76th Propulsion Maintenance Group and Pratt & Whitney.

In June, the wing also debuted the F117 Heavy Maintenance Center at post X75 in Bldg. 3001. The F117 engine, manufactured by Pratt & Whitney, powers the C-17 Globemaster III, the Air Force's medium strategic and tactical airlifter.

Just south of Hollywood and Vine between the F100 engine and south KC-135 Stratotanker shop spaces, approximately 100 people gathered for the event in June that showcased the new work area.

"Today is one of the neat parts of operating within the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center. It's one of those transitional milestones we get to enjoy as things change and we bring on new capability," said Col. Evan Miller, 76th PMXG commander, during the event in June. "This project required an awful lot of teamwork and looking back over the two years I've been in command and I've seen outstanding teamwork on this program specifically."

An F117 engine, with the inlet fan and thrust reverser installed, is 13-feet wide, 24-feet long and weighs approximately 10,000 pounds. Though noted as the largest engine Tinker will have ever serviced, to engine officials, it is considered a medium-sized high-bypass jet engine. There are about 1,000 F117 engines currently in the fleet with an additional 75 to be produced by Pratt & Whitney.

A single engine produces approximately 41,000 pounds of thrust, which is nearly twice the thrust produced by an AWACS TF33 engine. Four F117 engines power a single C-17.

Propulsion maintenance personnel began preparing the 96,000-square-foot F117 workspace in February 2009. Approximately $43.6 million will be invested in the facility and equipment, compliments of the C-17 Program Office at Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Ga. About two thirds of that is currently in place, with additional funding planned in fiscal 2011.

When the shop is fully operational, it will service between six and 10 engines a month. Each engine will likely take 60 days to fix and new engines needing repair will arrive every two to three days. Approximately 100 to 150 technicians will work on the engines.

Colonel Miller said while the shop isn't fully operational just yet, the shop's first engine is already in the repair process.

Work performed on the engines consists of mostly on-condition maintenance, meaning when field personnel determine there is an issue with the engine that they cannot fix, it will be sent to Tinker.

As part of the partnership with Pratt & Whitney, the Connecticut-based company will provide the engineering support and materials.

"Today demonstrates our commitment to continue our successful collaboration by officially opening the F117 Heavy Maintenance Center," said Beverly Deachin, vice president of Pratt & Whitney's Military Programs and Customer Support. "This center will support our country's defense by providing the United States Air Force with the best value solution for the F117."

Colonel Miller agreed.

"I feel very, very confident that this state-of-the-art facility and the training that we've given our initial cadre is going to put us in a great situation to be able to meet those warfighter needs and ensure the C-17s are operationally ready to do our nation's business."