Last week, two Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 Engine Enhancement Package (EEP) engines powered the first flight of a F-15K aircraft planned for delivery to the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) later this year. This flight was also the first to be powered by the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 EEP engine, the latest evolution of the F100 engine family. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) company.

"This is a great day for Pratt & Whitney to see our F100 engines powering The Republic of Korea Air Force's F-15 fleet," said Bill Gostic, vice president, Military Programs & Customer Support for Pratt & Whitney. "We are delighted Korea chose Pratt & Whitney to provide power for their new F-15K fighters. The ROKAF is an extremely valued customer, and we are committed to providing the highest levels of engine readiness for their F-15 and F-16 fleets."

Pratt & Whitney's F100 has powered F-15s since 1972. The ROKAF fleets are currently powered by Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 and F100-PW-229 engines. The F100-PW-229 EEP will be the most advanced and reliable F100 model operated by the ROKAF when it is delivered with the new F-15K aircraft in late-2010. The F100-PW-229 EEP engine has also been selected to power the Royal Moroccan Air Force's fleet of F-16's, and it will be delivered in Pakistan F-16s later this year.

"Pratt & Whitney's new F100-PW-229 EEP engines performed flawlessly during this first flight," said Gostic. "This accomplishment is a reflection of the strong and successful relationship between Pratt & Whitney, the ROKAF, Boeing and Samsung."

The F100-PW-229 EEP is the only engine that offers customers a lower total cost of ownership and an outstanding record of safety. Incorporating the latest technologies, this propulsion system provides advanced, dependable power for F-15 and F-16 fighter aircraft around the world. The F100-PW-229 EEP engine is the only fighter engine in production having a 6,000-cycle capability. This capability extends the engine depot inspection interval from seven to ten years, providing up to a 30 percent life cycle cost reduction over the life the engine.