CT federal lawmakers laud Pentagon choice of Pratt & Whitney as source for F-135 engine upgrade work

Pratt & Whitney will be the sole source for F-135 engine upgrade work, according to members of the Connecticut congressional delegation.

U.S. Reps. John B. Larson, D-1, Joe Courtney D-2, and Rosa DeLauro, D-3, said Monday that they praise the Pentagon’s decision on Pratt & Whitney.

“I am both gratified and proud that the Pentagon is committing to sole source production of the F135 to Pratt & Whitney Aircraft over a costly alternative engine. This is the right decision for our warfighter, partner nations across the globe, and for American taxpayers,” Larson said in a statement.

“The F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office (JPO) intends to issue multiple follow-on contract actions on a sole source basis to Raytheon Technologies Corporation (RTC), Pratt & Whitney Military Engines (P&W), East Hartford, CT, for F135 Engine Core Upgrade (ECU) Propulsion System Engineering and Manufacturing Development,” according to a Department of Defense statement.

“The Pratt & Whitney F135 engine is the most advanced, reliable, and capable production fighter engine the world has ever known,” Larson said. Pratt & Whitney F135 engine powers the F-35 jet.

Larson said the announcement would save “taxpayers tens of billions of dollars over the life of the program and protect thousands of manufacturing jobs in our state, ensuring that the best machinists and engineers in the world, from a manufacturing hub right here in Connecticut, will, as we proudly like to say, keep the eagle flying.”

“I want to thank Reps. Courtney and DeLauro for their partnership and tireless advocacy for Connecticut workers and suppliers on the Armed Services and Appropriations Committees, as well as Senators Blumenthal and Murphy, and our former Senators, Chris Dodd and Joe Lieberman, as the state delegation has been engaged in this fight for more than three decades. This reaffirms Pratt & Whitney as the sole provider, and as everyone in the delegation knows, is testimony to the precision, expertise, and dedication of the most highly skilled workforce in America.”

Courtney said that when the Department of Defense submitted its budget request for Fiscal Year 2024, “the decision was crystal clear – upgrading the existing F135 engine is the most efficient and cost-effective strategy to deliver increased capability for our servicemembers and international program partners in the F-35 enterprise.

“After years of consistent effort by the Connecticut delegation to proactively secure funding to upgrade the existing engine, this award by the Department of Defense validates the critical importance that the employees of Pratt & Whitney deliver to the warfighter. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I look forward to ensuring this modernization program stays on track and will continue to advocate for additional resources needed in years to come,” Courtney said, also in the statement.

DeLauro said the Pentagon decision “was the right decision for taxpayers, our Armed Services, and our global partners.

“Pratt and Whitney is one of the foremost leaders in advanced technology and defense manufacturing, and it is clear their F135 engine is superior and cost-effective. The company also employs more than 11,126 people in East Hartford and Middletown and is core to our state’s economy,” she said. “This contract will support good paying, union jobs across our state, and I am proud to have advocated for it. I will always fight to keep these jobs in Connecticut, a world leader in aerospace.”

IAM District 26 Assistant Directing Business Representative Jeff Santini praised Larson’s support for Pratt & Whitney, saying that “as sole source provider for the F-35 engine upgrade” it not “only strengthens our national security and technological edge but also safeguards the jobs of our dedicated Machinists Union members.

“His advocacy is a testament to the commitment to both workforce stability and national defense excellence. Thank you for championing this critical initiative,” said Santini.

Leading up to the Monday announcement, Pratt & Whitney was awarded a $66 million contract in July to support engine modernization efforts, the delegation said.