F135 Exceeds Expectations During Live Fire Survivability Testing 20 May 2014 ASDnews
F135 Exceeds Expectations During Live Fire Survivability Testing
"...Three F135 test series were conducted, including Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing (STOVL) propulsion system tests; dynamic and static engine ballistic tests; and finally, total fuel ingestion tests. These tests were aimed at better understanding the advanced engine control system, the capabilities of the main engine with battle damage, and to assess the engine's fuel ingestion tolerance.
According to the JASPO report, the "STOVL propulsion system was very tolerant of damage with little performance loss over the course of the testing." The report also indicated that the "propulsion control system is very capable in its ability to withstand and accommodate damage via built in redundancies… [and] the engine showed a high tolerance of ingested fuel."
The JASPO report concluded that damage to blades and vanes in both the lift fan and main engine did not result in catastrophic damage, and that, in fact, the F135 engine and its control system are capable of withstanding and accommodating damage, and providing information to alert the pilot to the damage sustained by the system. The data collected from these LFTs will be used to update assumptions used in the F135 vulnerability assessment.
"This series of tests on the CTOL/CV and STOVL variants is intended to mimic battlefield damage in wartime scenarios...."