Pentagon awards P&W $1B contract modification for Lot 9 JSF engines

The Pentagon has awarded Pratt & Whitney a $1 billion low-rate initial production contract modification for the ninth lot of Joint Strike Fighter F135 propulsion systems.

Lot 9 covers 66 total production engines, including spare engines, spare modules and spare parts for the field, program management, engineering support, production non-recurring effort and tooling, according to a P&W statement.

Low-rate initial production of Lot 9 includes 53 conventional-takeoff-and-landing engines and 13 short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing engines for the United States, Italy, Norway, Israel, Japan and the United Kingdom.

"The latest agreement with the F-35 Joint Program Office continues a reduction in costs associated with engine production, and demonstrates our commitment in providing affordable and dependable propulsion for the global F-35 program," Mark Buongiorno, P&W vice president for the F135 engine program, said in a statement. "We remain laser-focused on reducing costs, meeting our delivery schedule commitments, ensuring dependable engine performance, and preparing for global sustainment of the F-35 fleet."

To date, the company has delivered 273 production engines. Production of the first LRIP 9 engine is underway, with deliveries of LRIP 9 engines scheduled to begin in the second quarter of this year. P&W is working with the F-35 Joint Program Office to finalize details regarding LRIP 10 engine production and expects an award of that contract by the end of April 2016.