Pratt & Whitney, a division of RTX, has granted Hermeus a production licence to manufacture the F100-PW-229 engine.
With this move, Pratt & Whitney is expanding the base of qualified suppliers for one of the US military’s principal fighter propulsion systems.
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Announced on 15 September, the agreement enables Hermeus to produce the F100 engine using its rapid-build production approach.
The F100 engine has powered US Air Force F-15 and F-16 fighter jets for over 50 years and recently featured on Hermeus’ Quarterhorse aircraft, which achieved a supersonic flight milestone earlier this year as a privately developed, uncrewed jet.
Under the agreement, Hermeus will use its rapid-build production approach to manufacture the engine. It will comply with Pratt & Whitney’s requirements for quality, safety, and site activation.
Pratt & Whitney fighter and mobility programmes vice president Jessica Villardi said: “With more than 32 million flight hours, the F100 has earned its place as one of the world’s most trusted fighter engines.
“By partnering with Hermeus, we are expanding US production capacity to meet growing customer demand while delivering the proven dependability that defines the F100 engine.”
In another development, Pratt & Whitney has completed the F135 Engine Core Upgrade (ECU) Risk Reduction Design Review.
This marks a significant milestone for the F135 engine programme, which currently equips all variants of the F-35 Lightning II operated by the US and allied nations.
The risk review examined the ECU’s design features, integration challenges, propulsion technology improvements, and the industrial base’s readiness for future production and retrofit work.
The upgrade is designed as a drop-in enhancement for new and existing F135 engines and aims to provide greater power and thermal management capacity to support advanced sensor and weapons integration for Block 4 F-35 capabilities and beyond, according to RTX.
Pratt & Whitney military engines president Jill Albertelli said: “Completing RRDR is an important milestone that demonstrates the maturity of the F135 Engine Core Upgrade and the progress our team is making to deliver this capability to the warfighter.”
