Three F-35 A-Variant fighter planes are seen here in formation.
The fighter's propulsion system features the most powerful fighter/attack turbofans in the world, according to the Pentagon. But a crack recently discovered in one of the turbine blades is the reason for the current grounding of the next-generation fighter jet.
The Pratt & Whitney F135 engine family consists of a three-stage fan, a six-stage compressor, an annular combustor, a single-stage high-pressure turbine, and a two-stage low-pressure turbine.