CT based Pratt Whitney gets 3 8 billion contract modification for more fighter jet engines
CT-based Pratt & Whitney gets $3.8 billion contract modification for more fighter-jet engines
CTPost
By Paul Schott
March 31, 2026
Jet-engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney has been awarded an approximately $3.8 billion contract modification from the U.S. military for additional work on F-35 fighter jets.
The contract modification for Pratt & Whitney’s F135 engines, which power the F-35 jets, covers “full-rate production engines, initial spares, modules, engineering resources, program oversight and dedicated production support services,” officials at the East Hartford-headquartered company said in a news release on Tuesday. They also stated that the agreement “ensures capacity, tooling and uninterrupted manufacturing and supply chain operations for both U.S. military services and international customers.”
“The F135 is the most advanced military engine in the world, delivering unmatched thrust, reliability and mission readiness for the United States and its allies,” Jill Albertelli, Pratt & Whitney’s president of military engines, said in a written statement included in the news release. “Pratt & Whitney is investing heavily across our global production base and supply chain to increase production, and accelerate engine delivery and sustainment to meet growing global demand for the F-35 program.”
Pratt & Whitney will carry out the work at a number of locations across the U.S., with, respectively, 17% and 8% of the output expected to be done at the company’s manufacturing facilities in East Hartford and Middletown, according to a summary of the contract modification posted on the Department of Defense’s website. The work is expected to be completed in March 2028.
“This blockbuster $3.8 billion contract for RTX is terrific news for Pratt & Whitney and their supply chain,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a written statement. “Our state’s talented workers design and produce world-class engines, and this incredible investment will ensure the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and our allies have the most effective weapons to defend our nation’s interests. I am thrilled to see yet another vote of confidence in Connecticut-made and will keep fighting to support our local defense manufacturers.”
The contract modification will support the 18 and 19 “lots” of F135 production. Pratt & Whitney's contract for the 18 and 19 lots has a total value of $6.6 billion, according to company officials.
Pratt & Whitney officials also noted in their news release that the company has committed more than $1 billion over the past five years to “expand and modernize production capacity.” As a result, Pratt has increased F135 production rates “by 20% over previous contract rates,” they said.
Among recent U.S. military operations, F-35s have been used extensively in the war with Iran, according to a number of news reports. Pratt & Whitney officials were not immediately available to comment on Tuesday in response to an inquiry about the performance of F135 engines on F-35s that have been deployed in the war, which the Department of Defense calls “Operation Epic Fury.”
Last year, Pratt & Whitney generated about $32.9 billion in sales, up 17% year over year, while it recorded an operating profit of around $2.6 billion. The company’s production also includes GTF engines for passenger aircraft such as the Airbus A320 group.
Pratt & Whitney has about 10,800 employees in Connecticut, making it one of the largest employers in the state.
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