Larson, DeLauro, & Courtney Statement on $4.6 Billion Contract for Pratt & Whitney

Washington, D.C. - Today, Reps. John B. Larson (CT-01), Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), and Joe Courtney (CT-02), a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, released the following statement after news that the U.S. Department of Defense has awarded a $670 million contract modification to Pratt & Whitney, for a total contract value of $4.6 billion, to work on F135 engines that power F-35 fighter jets:

"This $4.6 billion contract for Pratt & Whitney is a testament to Connecticut's status as a leader in defense technology. This contract protects union jobs while strengthening our national defense and boosting Connecticut's economy. This is a win for Pratt & Whitney and the skilled and dedicated workers in Middletown and East Hartford who are the backbone of this industry, and who demonstrate time and again that the best jet engines in the world are made in Connecticut. The F135 is the most advanced, reliable, and capable production fighter engine the world has ever known. We are proud to have led and won the fight against special interests attempting to replace the F135 with an expensive, wasteful, and risky alternate engine. Connecticut's valued defense companies play a pivotal role in providing our armed forces with the technology and equipment they need to keep our country safe and secure, and we are proud to support them."

Pratt & Whitney Military Engines was awarded a $670 million modification to a contract to procure spares for the F135 engine, which powers the F-35, bringing the total value of its current contract to $4.6 billion.

Reps. Larson, DeLauro, and Courtney have twice led and won the fight to defend the Connecticut-built F135 engine from special interests seeking to replace it with a costly and risky alternate engine. Most recently, in 2023, Reps. Larson and DeLauro convinced the Biden Administration to drop support for funding an alternate engine development project, and in 2024, secured language in government funding legislation prohibiting the use of federal funds for any alternate engine for the F-35.