P&W in India
Ashmita Sethi, President and Country Head, Pratt & Whitney
Vayu interviews Ashmita Sethi, President and Country head of Pratt & Whitney which company, apart from their large portfolio in commercial aviation, also have considerable presence in India in military aviation. Vayu invited Thales, MBDA, RollsRoyce, Boeing, Saab and ‘MiG’ to articulate on their relationship, present and projected into the future with the Indian Air Force as it marks the 88th Anniversary year.
: Pratt & Whitney has a large portfolio in commercial aviation in India, could you tell us more about its presence in India when it comes to military aviation?
P&W: Pratt & Whitney (P&W) has the largest footprint of any engine maker in the country, and one in every two people flying in India, fly on aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney engines. With nearly 1500 engines and auxiliary power units inservice on a vast number of aircraft, Pratt & Whitney has for over seven decades, formed the ‘engine-power’ of India’s civil aviation sector, and supports critical platforms for the Indian Air Force.
As makers of the world’s first operational fifth- generation engine, the F119 for the USAF’s F-22, and the world’s most advanced fighter engine, the F135 for the F-35, our history and expertise with advanced propulsion systems is unmatched in the world. Globally, Pratt & Whitney has more than 7,000 military engines in service with 34 armed forces around the world, powering tactical, strategic, mobility and rotary aircraft.
In India, our dependable F117 engines, which generate 40,400 pounds of thrust, power the IAF’s 11 Boeing C-17 Globemaster IIIs, one of the largest such fleets outside of the USAF even as they carry out military, humanitarian and peacekeeping missions. We are also proud that India’s young pilots earn their wings on the PC-7 Pilatus trainers powered by the iconic PT6A engine. Our partnership with India’s Armed Forces is both significant and growing, be it our growing suite of
sustainment solutions that keep the fleet mission ready, or our partnerships on local aircraft development programmes.
: Apart from the C-17s and the PC-7s, are there any future campaigns for the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy that Pratt & Whitney might support?
P&W: There are some key campaigns in the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy that we are supporting for our customers. Some of the future platforms in consideration with possible Pratt & Whitney engines are the Airbus C295 tactical transport aircraft for the IAF, powered by the PW100 family of engines, then there is the PW210-powered Sikorsky S-76D in consideration for the Naval Utility Helicopter programme.
The IAF is considering the C295 powered by two PW127G engines, to replace its fleet of Avro 748 transport aircraft. The PW127G is part of the PW100 engine family, and our operators across regional airlines, coastal surveillance, humanitarian aid, cargo, firefighting or defence count on its reliability in any environment.
: The IAF’s C-17 Globemaster IIIs are carrying out high altitude operations with heavy loads: what makes the F117 engines ideally suited for these operations?
P&W: P&W’s F117 engines power the IAF’s fleet of 11 C-17 Globemaster IIIs and the C-17 has been used heavily during the COVID-19 crisis for medical repatriation flights for Indian citizens. The F117 engines are equipped with a directed-flow thrust reverser capable of being deployed in flight. On the ground, the thrust reverser can back a fully-loaded aircraft up a two-degree slope. Also noteworthy is the fact that the F117powered C-17 set 22 world records during qualification testing before achieving Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for the U.S. Air Force (USAF).
The F117 engine uses technical and material advancements such as secondgeneration single-crystal turbine materials, improved cooling management and thermal barrier coatings to lower operating temperatures. These enhancements contribute to the F117’s excellent reliability, durability and time on-wing.
: What about the Air Force’s requirement of 114 fighters? Is that something Pratt & Whitney might support? Are there any platforms that utilise the F100 engine?
P&W: When it comes to India’s current requirement for 114 new fighters, we believe that the IAF and the government will select the most capable platform that meets India’s long-term mission requirements. At Pratt & Whitney, we are happy to engage with our customers on any opportunities that they see fit for us in the long term.
Pratt & Whitney’s F100 engines have powered thousands of F-15s and F-16s for decades, and continues as the engine of choice for today’s F-15 and F-16. In fact, the F100 has powered every operational F-15 in the USAF’s fleet since 1972. The engine has benefited from the continued infusion of new technology since its introduction and offers 5th generation technology in a fully modular architecture. The F100 has industry- leading features of safety, reliability, and performance, delivering superior capability to the warfighter.