TINKER AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --
The Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex (OC-ALC) continues to
remain the superior maintenance site for global aerospace power. Adding to its vast repertoire of production
the OC-ALC recently stood up the overhaul and repair capability for a new
workload in the F-137 engine.
This new workload is a partnership with Rolls-Royce, and the first
venture of this kind with this engine manufacturer.
The saying goes—‘quality goes in before the name goes on.’ “The
name is important,” said Wade Wolfe, OC-ALC Vice Director, at the recent
opening of the F-137 engine line. “It defines who we are for everyone to know
and remember, and it associates the qualities we wish to exemplify as we
navigate the ever-complex, ever-changing business world.”
Rolls-Royce, a name that has instantaneous recognition, and a
company who breeds quality, values and integrity, has become the standard for
all to aspire. Rolls-Royce is a tier-one level supplier and was recently named
an Air Force Superior Supplier for the third year in a row.
The F-137 (AE 3007H) engine is an 8,000-pound class high-bypass,
two-spool turbofan engine. It powers the Global Hawk aircraft, an unmanned
aerial surveillance platform, sometimes referred to as a drone. Based on a
commercial Rolls-Royce design, the F-137 has a proven track record, providing
world-class reliability and performance for this vital mission.
The mission is not new, noted Mr. Wolfe, further comparing the
advancement in technology to its state during World War I, where Allies relied
on binoculars and hot-air balloons to acquire aerial shots. Today, we rely on
the Global Hawk for those “aerial shots.” The aircraft performs high-altitude,
real-time high-resolution Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR)
collection. The F-137 engine allows for more than 30 hours of flight time at an
altitude above 60,000 feet. It’s an engine with powerful long-range
capabilities that’s dependable, keeping the drones operable and reliable 24/7.
While the technology has advanced, the mission has remained.
Roughly 14,500 square feet of the OC-ALC will be home to the first
Department of Defense area to perform maintenance repair work on the F-137
engine. The demand for professional maintainers, programmers and schedulers has
increased in order to meet the superior maintenance standard of this engine. As
the workload transitions to Tinker, key personnel are being trained to maintain
already established performance and reliability.
Phil Burkholder, president of Defense North America, Rolls-Royce,
called the new maintenance accomplishment “a win-win-win – a win for the Air
Force, a win for Rolls-Royce, and a win for the state of Oklahoma.”
“Our first private-public partnership,” Mr. Burkholder said, “is
in Oklahoma.” A global company, Rolls-Royce has chosen the OC-ALC to provide
the best support possible for the engine, regardless of the global choices
Rolls-Royce has previously established in their overhaul and maintenance
portfolio.
“Rolls-Royce is proud to be a part
of this program. We are performing engine management, services and logistics to
support the Air Force and the OC-ALC,” Mr. Burkholder said. “We strive
constantly to provide quality, efficiency and cost-effective solutions for the
customer. Our focus is to be your preferred provider, and I’m really pleased
with the enduring, benefitting partnership we’ve found here.”