The F135 propulsion system. Credit: PRNewsfoto / Pratt & Whitney

Pratt & Whitney, an RTX subsidiary, has opened its largest military engine manufacturing facility in Oklahoma City, according to a company statement issued on 1 October 2024.

Boasting 845,000 square feet, the $255m investment will allow the supplier to meet the growing demands of both US and global defence users for the F135, F117, TF33, F100, and F119 engines.

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The site features automation and advanced technologies that will streamline processes, improving accuracy, speed and cost-effectiveness. It also incorporates energy-efficient systems and waste reduction processes for greater sustainability.

This facility is located next to Tinker Air Force Base – the largest maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility for the Department of Defense. It is strategically positioned to meet current and future sustainment demands, supporting engines for the F-35, F-22, C-17, B-52, E-3, F-15, F-16 and more.

F135 ECU contract

Notably, this new site comes just off the back of a contract renewal, awarding Pratt & Whitney a $1.3bn deal to deliver the F135 Engine Core Upgrade (ECU).

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This upgrade provide more durability to the F-35 Lightning II engine. In addition the ECU also provides power and cooling for Block 4 and beyond capabilities for all three variants of the F-35 global enterprise.

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In July, Pratt & Whitney announced it had completed the F135 ECU’s preliminary design review which signified the alignment between the company and the F-35 Joint Program Office on the upgrade’s design. 

To date, Pratt & Whitney has delivered more than 1,200 F135 production engines, with more than 900,000 engine flight hours recorded.

Continual use of the F100

F100s are also “rolling off the production line”, the company added earlier this year when the supplier delivered another F-16 Fighting Falcon engine to Poland in July.

Just two months earlier, Pratt & Whitney were tasked with F100 engine maintenance of the Saudi Arabian F-15 fleet.

The system is used to power F-16 and F-15 fleets around the world. It has also flown more than 30 million engine flight hours, which is nearly three times as many hours as other fourth-generation fighter engines.