The C-17 Globemaster III Integrated Sustainment Program (GISP) was recently awarded the 2012 Secretary of Defense “Gerald R. Beck” Performance Based Logistics (PBL) system-level Award by the Secretary of Defense. The GISP team includes Pratt & Whitney, Boeing, and the U.S. Air Force. The award was presented at the Aerospace Industries Association Fall Product Support Conference in Charleston, S.C. on Oct. 30. Each C-17 is powered by four Pratt & Whitney F117 engines. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) company.

The award is a joint development by the Secretary of Defense, Department of Defense and the Aerospace Industries Association, and acknowledges outstanding government-industry partnerships at the system, subsystem and component level. PBL is a logistics discipline that focuses on performance and capability rather than product or service alone.

“Everyone here at Pratt & Whitney has worked very hard to provide the F117 engines with the proven performance, support and sustainment capability our customers expect,” said Bev Deachin, vice president, Pratt & Whitney Military Programs and Customer Support. “We are truly honored to stand with the entire C-17 Globemaster PBL team and have our efforts recognized. We take pride every day in keeping our engines on wing and providing our customers with affordable readiness.”

In the past, the maintenance program for the C-17 engines has won the Aviation Week Charles B. Ryan Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Award for applying commercial practices to a military program.
Four Pratt & Whitney F117 engines, each rated at 40,440 pounds of thrust, enable the C-17 transport to carry a payload of 160,600 pounds, take off from a 7,600-foot airfield, and fly 2,400 nautical miles without refueling. With more than 9.5 million hours of proven military service and more than 40 million hours in commercial use, the F117/PW2040 reinforces Pratt & Whitney’s promise to deliver Dependable Engines. Through Pratt & Whitney’s ongoing investment in product improvements, the engine continuously surpasses established goals of time on wing and support turnaround time.

The C-17 Globemaster III Integrated Sustainment Program provides support services such as forecasting, purchasing and material management for the C-17 and all C-17-unique support. This PBL partnership, which started in 1998 with service to 42 aircraft, now services 246 aircraft worldwide.

There are currently more than 1,000 F117 engines managed through the GISP contract. Pratt & Whitney is able to provide significant benefits in performing all aspects of engine maintenance at four partner depot repair locations. The depots include the United Air Lines depot in San Francisco, Calif., the F117 Heavy Maintenance Center at the U.S. Air Force Air Logistics Complex in Oklahoma City, Okla., Pratt & Whitney’s Columbus Engine Center in Columbus, Ga., and the U.S. Air Force Module Replacement Center at Joint Charleston Air Force Base in South Carolina.

Pratt & Whitney press release, photo M. van Leeuwen Z.A.P.P.