EAST HARTFORD, Conn. — RTX Corp.'s Pratt & Whitney Military Engines division has received a $53.8 million order from the U.S. Navy to carry out specialized engineering work on the F135 engine, the powerplant used in all variants of the F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft.
The award was issued under a fixed-price incentive (firm-target), cost-plus-fixed-fee structure against a previously established basic ordering agreement. Unlike production contracts for new engines, this order covers non-recurring engineering (NRE), which includes one-time design, testing, evaluation, and engineering activities required to identify, analyze, and correct technical issues affecting the engine during its service life.
According to the U.S. Navy's contract announcement, the engineering work will focus on the early identification, development, and qualification of corrections for both potential and existing operational issues within the F135 engine. The effort also includes evaluating operational flight data to determine how long specific engine components can safely remain in service.
The Navy said the work is intended to continue the engine's maturation, improve operational readiness, and reduce long-term maintenance and life-cycle costs across the F-35 fleet.
The order supports all U.S. military services operating the F-35, including the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Navy, which fly the F-35A, F-35B, and F-35C variants, respectively. It also supports F-35 Cooperative Program Partners and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers.
Pratt & Whitney states that more than 1,300 F135 engines currently power F-35 aircraft operated by the United States and approximately 20 allied nations, making the engine one of the most widely used fifth-generation fighter powerplants.
Focus on Sustainment and Engine Reliability
The F135 produces more than 40,000 pounds (18,144 kilograms) of thrust and is described by Pratt & Whitney as the most powerful fighter engine currently in production.
Over its service life, the engine has undergone multiple engineering improvements to address technical and sustainment challenges. A 2023 U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report estimated that sustainment issues related to the F135 could add approximately $38 billion in unplanned maintenance costs over the lifetime of the global fleet.
According to the GAO, one of the primary factors behind these costs has been an engine cooling system that proved undersized for the increasing demands of the aircraft's advanced sensors and electronic systems. The report also noted that sustainment challenges have affected maintenance planning and operating costs.
In addition to long-term sustainment efforts, Pratt & Whitney has implemented engineering fixes over the years to address issues such as premature wear on protective coatings inside turbine blades and harmonic resonance vibration that affected a limited number of engines.
The newly awarded engineering order is intended to continue addressing such technical issues as they arise while supporting improvements in engine reliability and availability.
Funding Shared Across the Global F-35 Program
Funding for the order includes $14 million from the U.S. Navy's Fiscal Year 2026 Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) budget. The F-35 Cooperative Program Partners are contributing $22.3 million, reflecting the shared investment in sustaining the multinational F-35 fleet.
The contract was awarded without competitive bidding, with the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) at Patuxent River, Maryland, serving as the contracting activity.
Work to Continue Through 2028
Engineering work under the order will be carried out at seven locations across the United States and Puerto Rico:
- East Hartford, Connecticut – 74%
- Middletown, Connecticut – 7%
- West Palm Beach, Florida – 7%
- Indianapolis, Indiana – 6%
- Windsor Locks, Connecticut – 3%
- Aguadilla, Puerto Rico – 2%
- North Berwick, Maine – 1%
The work is scheduled for completion by December 2028.
Parallel Efforts on Production and Sustainment
The engineering order comes as Pratt & Whitney and the F-35 Joint Program Office continue work on the F135 engine while advancing production for Lots 18 and 19.
Earlier in March 2026, RTX and the U.S. Department of Defense finalized a $6.6 billion contract modification for F135 engine production covering Lots 18 and 19 following earlier production and sustainment negotiations.
The latest engineering order complements those production efforts by focusing on resolving technical issues, improving engine performance over time, and supporting long-term sustainment for the growing global fleet of F-35 aircraft.
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