NAVAIR awards annual F-35 engine sustainment contract
A Pratt & Whitney F135 engine underwent accelerated mission testing in November 2021. (Photo: USAF/Jill Pickett)
Raytheon is sustaining the F135 engine and will also provide common F-35 programme support activities under a new contract modification.
Raytheon has obtained a $408.4 million contract modification from Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) for annual sustainment of the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine that powers the Lockheed Martin F-35A, F-35B and F-35C multirole fighter aircraft.
The modification also covers support for common F-35 programme activities, ‘unique and common base recurring sustainment, repair of repairables, field service representatives, as well as common replenishment of spares’, the DoD announced on 26 May.
Work is expected to be completed in November 2022 on behalf of several US operators of the F-35 (the USAF, USMC, USN and Air National Guard) plus FMS customers.
According to Shephard Defence Insight, the F-135 delivers more than 40,000lb of thrust and is one of the most advanced engines in the world.
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