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Florida Air National Guard Becomes First Guard Unit to Receive F-15s with Upgraded Pratt & Whitney Engines

EAST HARTFORD, CONN., February 9, 2004 - The Florida Air National Guard took delivery of its first F-15 fighter re-engined with modern Pratt & Whitney (P&W) F100-PW-220E engines during a ceremony at its 125th Fighter Wing facility in Jacksonville, Florida. The 125th Fighter Wing is the first Guard unit in the United States to receive the upgraded engines.

The aircraft are F-15A/B models, originally built in the 1970s and powered by P&W F100-PW-100 engines. The -220E retrofit program was initiated by the U.S. Air Force in 1997 to provide more powerful engines and bring the earlier F-15s up to current combat capability. The Florida Air Guard is to receive 19 upgraded aircraft by 2006.

“We are pleased to be the first Air Guard unit to receive the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220E upgrade for our F-15s,” said Major General Douglas Burnett, The Adjutant General, Florida National Guard. “As demands on the Air National Guard increase, the need for increased thrust and more reliable aircraft has never been greater. Re-engining our F-15s is one of the most cost effective ways of supporting our airmen in their dynamic role. This program is an excellent illustration of the success that can be realized when Guard leadership, dedicated legislators, and the contractor community work together to support the warfighter in the defense of freedom.”

The upgrade program is commonly referred to as a -220 equivalent kit, or “E-kit,” upgrade, meaning that the F100-PW-100 engine is brought up to the equivalent specification in thrust and reliability of a production model F100-PW-220 engine. In the upgrade process, the -100 engines are removed from the aircraft and overhauled at the U.S. Air Force’s depot at Tinker Air Force Base. During overhaul, the engines receive upgraded parts and components via an E-kit supplied by P&W, thus becoming the equivalent of a -220 production engine at less than half the cost of a new engine.

“Pratt & Whitney is proud to join the Florida Air National Guard as a partner in modernization,” said Lloyd “Fig” Newton, Senior Vice President, Military Customer Requirements and Support, P&W. “The E-kit upgrade provides added thrust and improved combat capability over the earlier F100-PW-100. Not only does it improve pilot effectiveness and survivability, it also reduces maintenance workload and saves operational and maintenance cost. We look forward to seeing the benefits that will accrue to the Guard and the nation once all of their F-15A/Bs have been re-engined.”

Air National Guard units in Hawaii, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri and Oregon are targeted to receive E-kit upgrades to their F-15A/B aircraft as well.

F100-PW-220 and -220E engines power all models of F-15 and F-16 aircraft. The engine has a maximum thrust of 23,830 pounds at full augmentation and a thrust-to-weight ratio of 7.5 to 1. The F100 engine line entered service in 1974, and has set unmatched records for combat performance, reliability and safety.

Pratt & Whitney military engines are built and supported in facilities located in Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Maine, Oklahoma, Texas and West Virginia. Models include the F119 powering the F/A-22 Raptor; the F135 for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter; the F117 for the C-17 Globemaster III; the F100 for F-15 and F-16 fighters; the J52 for the EA-6B Prowler; the TF33 powering AWACS, Joint STARS, B-52, C-141 and KC-135 aircraft; the PT6 for T-6A, C-12, T-34C and UH-1N aircraft; and the JT15 for the T-1A, UC-35A, and the Pegasus UCAV.

Pratt & Whitney, a United Technologies Company (NYSE:UTX), is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines.

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