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3h ago

Pentagon Awards $2.88 Billion Lot 18 F-35 Engine Deal to Pratt & Whitney

The purchase lifts Lot 18 average aircraft prices above $100 million, reflecting TR3/Block 4 upgrades.

Six F-35 Lightning ii aircraft follow closely behind a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft during a trip across the Pacific Ocean, April 20, 2025. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Andrew Stover)
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Overview

  • The Department of Defense issued a not-to-exceed $2,878,495,761 undefinitized contract modification managed by NAVAIR, with more than $2 billion obligated at award and the Air Force share exceeding $614 million.
  • The order funds 141 F135 propulsion systems with spares and support for all F-35 variants used by U.S. services and international partners.
  • Pratt & Whitney will complete deliveries by February 2028, supplying engines for Lot 18’s production run of 145 aircraft.
  • The engine price averages about $20.4 million per unit, and combined with airframe costs, the Lot 18 average aircraft price is estimated at roughly $101.5 million.
  • After a separate adaptive-engine effort went unfunded, Pratt & Whitney is advancing an F135 Engine Core Upgrade to address higher thermal and electrical demands.