Pratt & Whitney has been awarded US$1.3 billion contract to supply spare parts for the F135 engine, strengthening sustainment support for the global fleet of F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft.
The Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract will fund fiscal year 2026 requirements for F135 initial spare parts, deployable spare packages, depot lay-ins and associated support equipment. The contract supports both U.S. and international F-35 operators, reinforcing the engine’s long-term operational readiness.
The F135 engine powers all three variants of the F-35 Lightning II and remains a critical component of the programme’s global sustainment strategy. According to Pratt & Whitney, the latest contract will further strengthen its worldwide support network, enabling operators to maintain mission readiness across diverse operating environments.
“Ensuring the F135 remains mission-ready is critical to the success of the F-35 enterprise,” said Chris Johnson, vice president of Pratt & Whitney’s F135 Program. “This contract will help strengthen our global sustainment network to ensure operators around the world can continue to rely on the F135’s unmatched performance.”
Pratt & Whitney’s F135 sustainment enterprise currently supports a global network that includes multiple maintenance depots, 42 operating bases and 13 naval vessels. The company provides maintenance, logistics and technical support services across the international F-35 fleet through this distributed support infrastructure.
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Pratt & Whitney has delivered more than 1,500 F135 production engines to customers across 20 allied nations. The company also noted that the planned F135 Engine Core Upgrade, selected as the propulsion modernisation solution for the F-35 programme, will build on the existing sustainment network to deliver improved performance and long-term support while maintaining fleet readiness.
The contract reflects the continued focus on strengthening sustainment capabilities for one of the world’s largest fifth-generation fighter aircraft programmes as global F-35 operations continue to expand.
