Among a long series of high-value contracts announced by the U.S. Dept. of Defense following the end of the month-long U.S. government shutdown were two awards totaling nearly $1.25 billion for RTX Corp. subsidiaries.
Pratt & Whitney, a division of RTX was awarded an estimated $1.09-billion contract to supply consumable and depot level repairable parts to the U.S. Air Force for the F100 engine – an afterburning turbofan engine powering the F-15 Eagle and F-16, and some other fighter aircraft. The F-15 is a twin-engine fighter developed by McDonnell-Douglas and now supplied by Boeing Defense.
There are four variants of the F100, introduced at different times to support different generations of the fighter. The most recent version incorporates “advanced thermal coatings, improved turbine cooling capabilities, and prognostics and engine health monitoring features”. There are more than 7,000 of the engines in service with USAF and other defense forces, according to Pratt & Whitney.
The five-year base contract awarded by the U.S. Air Force will be completed in September 2030, and it will have one five-year option period, according to the Pentagon.
A second award by the USAF to RTX subsidiary Raytheon Technologies is estimated at $51.8 million for supply of F100 hot-section modules, such as combustors, turbines, and afterburner/exhaust sections of the turbofan engines.
In accordance with the extreme heat and high pressure conditions of the engines’ operation, F100 hot section components are built from durable materials and include advanced cooling technologies.
This five-year basic order agreement has no option period, and will be completed in July 2029.
Other contracts awarded to major manufacturers at the end of the government shutdown included a $20.9-million modification to a previous, three-year basic ordering agreement with Boeing Defense, for performance-based support of USAF fighter aircraft. Boeing fighter jets in service with the U.S. Air Force include the F-15 and F-16, as noted above, but also the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
The Pentagon also awarded a $20.7-million contract to Caterpillar Defense to acquired diesel engines; and a $12.7-million contract to AM General LLC for diesel engine cylinder heads.