- The modification supports moving the engine core upgrade into engineering and manufacturing development
- Funding covers long-lead hardware for a spare test engine
- Air Force and Navy research and development funds each supply roughly $87.6 million
RTX‘s Pratt & Whitney Military Engines has received a potential $240.8 million modification to a 2024 F135 contract, the Department of War announced Thursday.
The modification raises the not-to-exceed value and adds non-recurring engineering work to mature the engine, address operational issues and improve readiness.
Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. The award was not competitively procured.
What Does the F135 Modification Cover?
The work supports moving the engine core upgrade from risk reduction design review into engineering and manufacturing development. It includes long-lead hardware for a spare test engine.
The effort backs F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programs for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy and the aircraft’s cooperative program partners.
Work runs primarily in East Hartford, Connecticut, at 53 percent of the total, with Indianapolis at 15 percent. Other sites include Middletown and Windsor Locks, Connecticut; West Palm Beach, Florida; North Berwick, Maine; Rockford, Illinois; and Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. Completion is expected in March 2028.
How Is the Navy Funding the Modification?
Fiscal 2025 Air Force research, development, test and evaluation funds supply $87.6 million, with an identical amount coming from Navy research and development funds.
F-35 cooperative program partner funds account for the remaining $39 million.
What Is the F135 Engine Core Upgrade?
The upgrade is a Pratt & Whitney-led modernization of the F-35 propulsion system aimed at restoring engine life and durability while increasing thrust and thermal management, American Machinist reported.
The added power and cooling support the aircraft’s Block 4 configuration and later capabilities. The Pentagon chose the upgrade path over a new propulsion system for the fleet already in service.
Pratt & Whitney received the base contract in October 2024 with a maximum value of $1.3 billion, covering design maturation and aircraft integration during the risk reduction phase.
The company also holds a $1.6 billion undefinitized Navy contract awarded in November for F135 sustainment, program management and depot-level maintenance.
