Pratt & Whitney has successfully delivered the 50th production F135 engine – powering Lockheed Martin's fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II – to the U.S. Department of Defense. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company.

The 50th engine is scheduled to be installed in a F-35C Carrier Variant (CV) for the United States Navy. The F-35C aircraft will be delivered to Eglin Air Force Base this summer for Navy pilot training.

"Delivery of the 50th production F135 engine is a significant milestone for the program," said Chris Flynn, vice president, F135/F119 Engine Programs, Pratt & Whitney. "We are proud of the progress made on the most advanced fifth-generation fighter engine in the world. We will continue to work diligently toward production and testing benchmarks while meeting our cost objectives."

Pratt & Whitney remains committed to increasing production levels while decreasing costs. To date, Pratt & Whitney and its suppliers have been able to reduce the cost by more than 25 percent on the CV/Conventional Takeoff and Landing (CTOL) engine, compared to the original test engines. Engine production output in 2012 is expected to double from 2011, as was demonstrated from 2010 to 2011.

The F-35 program includes three variants to meet the unique needs of the U.S. armed forces and the international participants in the program: the CV, the CTOL and the Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing (STOVL). To date, the F135 propulsion system has powered more than 330 vertical landings, 2,000 test flights producing more than 3,000 flight hours. Pratt & Whitney has delivered 30 CTOL/CV and 20 STOVL engines and related propulsion system hardware. The success of the F135 engine program validates the reliability, safety and performance of the engine.

Included in the 50 deliveries was the last deliverable hardware required for the third lot of Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) engines. Pratt & Whitney is now delivering to the fourth lot of LRIP contract requirements which are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2012.