EAST HARTFORD, Connecticut: Raytheon Technologies' Pratt and Whitney has been granted a $5.2 billion contract to support the production of the 15th and 16th groups of F 135 engines, with an option to receive the 17th lot, which will power all three variants of the F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft.
The total contract value for lots 15 -- 17 with exercised options is about $8 billion and will fund the assembling of over 418 F 135 engines, according to the engine manufacturer.
The contract allows for 278 F 135 engines to be assembled, with the option to order up to 518 engines. It also includes program management, engineering support, production support and tooling.
After its production stopped in December due to safety concerns, Pratt and Whitney was cleared by the US government to resume deliveries of its F-135 engine for the F-35 fighter jet last month.
As of December 2022, the company has delivered more than 1,000 F 135 production engines.