Rolls-Royce will produce six LiftSystems under a new $215 million contract to support the Pentagon’s sixth production lot of F-35B Lightning II fighter jets.
The LiftSystem technology provides the F-35B jets with the ability to perform short takeoffs and vertical landings (STOVL), and is currently in service with the U.S. Marine Corps in Yuma, Ariz. Pratt & Whitney signed the new agreement with Rolls-Royce to include sustainment, program management, engineering and field support.
In August, test pilots demonstrated the LiftSystem technology’s ability to perform STOVL procedures at sea, conducting test trials on the USS Wasp.
"As we expand our field support, we remain focused on efficiency and further increasing the affordability of LiftSystems for the F-35B Lightning II," said Dave Gordon, program director of the LiftSystem program at Rolls-Royce.