Pratt & Whitney, a business of RTX, has been awarded a contract worth up to $1.5bn, to maintain the F119 engines for the US Air Force’s (USAF) F-22 Raptor fighter jets.
The contract, which spans across three years, aims to enhance readiness and reduce operational costs, for a fleet of more than 400 engines which have accumulated over 900,000 engine flight hours.
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Pratt & Whitney military engines president Jill Albertelli said: “The F119’s readiness and reliability rates have never been more important, and we are improving both while lowering lifecycle costs.
“We are committed to helping our US Air Force customer maintain the F-22’s combat edge.”
The F-22 Raptor is equipped with two F119-PW-100 turbofan engines with afterburners and two-dimensional thrust vectoring nozzles, with each engine capable of producing more than 35,000lb of thrust.
The 5th generation stealth aircraft can reach altitudes above 65,000ft while maintaining superior speed and manoeuvrability.
A key feature of the F-22 aircraft is its ability to achieve and sustain supersonic speeds without the use of afterburners, a capability known as supercruise, which improves fuel efficiency and extends operational range.
Pratt & Whitney said it has achieved cost reductions in its F119 engines through the Usage Based Lifing programme.
This initiative utilises real-time data to optimise maintenance schedules and extend engine lifespan.
Additionally, an engine control schedule update has been implemented to improve kinematic performance.
The newly awarded contract will continue efforts to enhance safety, availability, and maintenance efficiency while incorporating modernisation initiatives.
In August 2024, the US Department of Defense released details of a contract, worth $11.7m, to supply the Air Force with a new supply of radar countermeasure items for its F-22 Raptor fighter jets.
US supplier Armtec Countermeasures will provide RR-196 countermeasure chaff. These chaffs enable F-22 pilots to release thin strips of material that create a larger radar cross-section, designed to interfere with or confuse enemy radar detection.
