Pentagon Grounds JSF Fleet After Turbine Blade Cracks; 'Potential Exists For Catastrophic Failure'

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Pentagon Grounds JSF Fleet After Turbine Blade Cracks; 'Potential Exists For Catastrophic Failure'
By Colin Clark
Published: February 22, 2013

Pentagon Grounds JSF Fleet After Turbine Blade Cracks; 'Potential Exists For Catastrophic Failure'
By Colin Clark
Published: February 22, 2013

AFA Winter, Orlando: What happens when all the top brass of the Air Force are attending a top conference on a Friday afternoon? Their biggest program, the Joint Strike Fighter, gets its entire fleet grounded because of a crack in a turbine blade. Details began trickling out just as most Air Force brass were headed to the airport after the Air Force Association's annual conference here ended.

Of course, the F-35 isn't just the Air Force's biggest program. It's the biggest conventional weapons program ever for any country.

Early word is that a low pressure turbine in the engine cracked. The engine is on its way to Pratt & Whitney for a complete check to figure out what happened, why and come up with a fix. We've sent emails and called the program office and Lockheed for comment. As soon as it comes in, we'll update this.

The crack poses "the threat of catastrophic failure," according to a letter by Naval Air Systems Commander Vice Adm.David Dunaway sent to the Navy Secretary, Chief of Naval Operations and the Marine Commandant. Dunaway says he will provide an update on the situation no later than March 1, next Friday.