F-35 Block Four testing includes two types of F135 engine
Raytheon Technologies company Pratt & Whitney was awarded a contract on 5 February to produce F135 engines for three F-35 Lightning II Block Four developmental testing aircraft.
One of these engines will be a conventional take-off and landing variant for the F-35A and F-35C; the other two will be two-cycle engines (each with a forward lift fan) for the F-35B STOVL aircraft.
Work on the $49.19 million contract modification from US Naval Air Systems Command will be completed by January 2023.
The developmental test programme for the F-35 Lightning II Block Four (the most advanced standard) will support the USAF, USN, USMC and non-DoD participants.
As part of our promise to deliver comprehensive coverage to our Defence Insight and Premium News subscribers, our curated defence news content provides the latest industry updates, contract awards and programme milestones.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
More from Air Warfare
-
Nuclear “Manhattan Project-type endeavour” plausible for AI advancement, says UK Chief of Defence Staff
Admiral Sir Tony Radakin also urged caution over a “drone-tastic” way of thinking when it comes to their use alongside traditional air and underwater domain platforms.
-
Teal Drones delivers first Black Widows as parent company reports six-month loss
In July 2025 Teal Drones was awarded Tranche 2 of the US Army’s Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) programme for a small uncrewed aerial system (sUAS).
-
Elbit Systems discloses Iron Beam update and work on laser solution for IAF
In its Q2 earnings call, the company said it has internal targets set for similar double-digit growth for 2026, as it welcomed a 21% boost in 2025 profits so far compared to 2024.
-
Poland confirms US$3.8 billion F-16V upgrade
The Mid-Life Upgrade agreement comes as Poland makes significant increases in its defence spend as its plans to increase it to 5% of GDP by 2026.