New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Pratt & Whitney may soon modernize jet fighter engine
Proposed budget support would allow for upgrade of F135 engine
Members of Connecticut’s legislative delegation are celebrating the inclusion of a modernization for the F135 jet fighter engine, which is produced by East Hartford-based Pratt & Whitney, in President Joe Biden’s proposed 2024 budget.
Biden released an overview of the budget last week, but additional details regarding many of the specific expenditures weren’t made public until late Monday. U.S. Rep. John Larson said Biden’s decision to back a modernization of the F135 jet engine, rather starting over with a new engine from another manufacturer, “was the logical thing to do in these inflationary times.”
“I am proud President Biden’s budget will support the modernization, instead of replacement, of the most advanced, reliable, and capable production fighter engine the world has ever known- the F135,” Larson said. “For the last decade, the Pratt & Whitney engine has exceeded expectations and powered the aircraft through three major air vehicle and weapons payloads upgrades.”
The decision to go with a modernization of the F135 engine comes on the heels of an announcement last week that Pratt had been awarded a $5.2 billion contract for the continued production of the engines. The engines power all three variants of the F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft, which is produced by Maryland-based defense contractor Lockheed Martin and is used by the U.S. Marine Corps.
Larson said the next step in the process is to make sure the plan to have Pratt do the modernization of F135 engine remains in the budget until it makes to Biden’s desk and is signed into law.
“It will go through a review process and at the end of that, it will take the form of either a continuing resolution or an omnibus bill that will happen later this year,” said Larson, who is chairman of House’s joint strike fighter caucus. “It’s as locked into this budget as much as any item can be.”
Part of the reason that Larson is so confident that Pratt’s modernization of the F135 jet engine will make it through the budget review process unscathed is that congressional colleague U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro is the ranking Democrat of the House Appropriations Committee.
“She will be part of every conversation on this,” he said.
DeLauro said Biden’s decision to let Pratt modernize the F135 jet engine “enables Pratt & Whitney to power the F-35 fighter jet for years to come.”
“This decision will keep thousands of manufacturing jobs right where they belong — in Connecticut,” DeLauro said. “This is a win for the warfighter, and for the taxpayer, as Pratt & Whitney has reduced the cost of the F135 engine by 50 percent since production began while improving performance to twice its original specifications for years. The F135 program is a major driver of economic growth in Connecticut and around the country, and I am thrilled to see President Biden’s continued support of it in his 2024 budget proposal.”
Larson said that “the fight to protect the 27,000 F135 jobs across the state of Connecticut is not over.” He said the number of jobs the F135 program supports in Connecticut includes Pratt workers as well as those at nearly 100 suppliers in the state that are part of the company’s supply chain.
U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney said he welcomed the decision to upgrade the existing F135 engine. Courtney is a member of the Tactical Air and Land Forces subcommittee.