Pratt & Whitney, a unit of United Technologies Corp, has delivered the first 10 F117 engines to Boeing to power a fleet of C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft for the Indian Air Force.

The Ministry of Defence had signed a letter of offer and acceptance with the US Government in 2011 to acquire 10 C-17s.

The first of these C-17 aircraft is now going through a US Air Force flight test programme at Edwards Air Force Base in Palmdale, Calif. The Indian Air Force is scheduled to take delivery of its first five C-17s this year and five in 2014.

C-17 Globemaster III

The C-17 Globemaster III — the world’s premier heavy airlifter — is powered by four F117 engines each rated at 40,440 pounds of thrust.

The C-17 transport, powered by Pratt & Whitney engines, is capable of taking off from a 7,600-foot airfield, carrying a payload of 160,600 pounds, and completing a flight of 2,400 nautical miles without refuelling. 

F117-PW-100 engine

The F117-PW-100 first entered the service in 1993 and is a derivative of Pratt & Whitney's PW2040 commercial engine. 

Boeing has delivered 250 C-17s featuring F117 engines worldwide, including 32 to international customers. The US Air Force — including active duty National Guard and Reserve units — has taken delivery of 218 C-17s.

Other customers include the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force, the Qatar Emiri Air Force, the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, the 12-member Strategic Airlift Capability initiative of NATO and Partnership for Peace nations, and the United Arab Emirates Air Force and Air Defence.

Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines.

United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and building industries.

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