F135 Engine Core Upgrade (ECU)

The F135 is the world’s most advanced fighter engine with proven readiness and reliability. The ECU builds upon that same architecture with a fleet-wide upgrade.

Combat proven. Variant common. Cost effective.

The future of the F-35 fighter jet.

As the F-35 gains capability, so must its engine. The F135 Engine Core Upgrade (ECU) is the only choice to implement this crucial upgrade, based on the proven record of excellence of the existing F135 engine.

The Program

773,000+ Recorded Flight Hours

The ECU builds on the architecture of the F135—a proven engine with nearly 20 years of reliable performance. It is the only true drop-in, low-risk and cost-effective engine upgrade for the F-35.

Variant Common

Commonality is a pillar of the F-35 program. The ECU is the only engine upgrade that supports all three variants of the F-35, enabling joint maintenance efficiencies and leveraging existing infrastructure.

Fiscally Responsible

The ECU will cost approximately $2 billion to fully upgrade the engine—ultimately saving taxpayers 10s of billions over the F-35 program’s lifetime if chosen over alternative options.

News

Featured

Sep 12, 2023

As Threats Evolve, So Must the F-35

Sep 12, 2023

An update known as the Engine Core Upgrade (ECU) has been developed to solve these issues but there are those in Washington who are opposed to the ECU and prefer instead to fund a project known as the Adaptive Engine Transition Program (AETP). This would mean entirely replacing the F-35 engine with a new one built from scratch in the middle of the program, which would cause several issues.