Pratt & Whitney’s F135 engine, which powers the F-35A aircraft, has completed the full lifecycle testing of its cold section in the United States. 

The cold section, comprising of fan and compressor, was put through 9400 total accumulated cycles, which is the equivalent of about 14 years of operation or 2000 F-35 missions, Australian Department of Defence disclosed on 22 February.  Accelerated mission testing is conducted to test and validate engine reliability and maintainability during its lifespan, as well as identify any potential issues.