- RTX has received a $3.81 billion contract modification to produce F135 engines for Lot 18 and Lot 19 F-35 fighter aircraft.
- The award supports continued F-35 production for U.S. services, international partners, and foreign military sales customers through March 2028.
RTX has been awarded a $3.81 billion contract modification to produce F135 propulsion systems for Lot 18 and Lot 19 F-35 Lightning II aircraft, according to a March 30 contract announcement.
The award supports continued production of engines for the Joint Strike Fighter program at a time when demand remains high across U.S. services, international program partners, and foreign military customers.
According to the contract notice, the $3,813,591,875 modification finalizes Lot 18 F135 propulsion system production and provides for engine production in support of Lot 19 F-35 aircraft. The contract covers aircraft for the United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, United States Navy, F-35 cooperative program partners, and Foreign Military Sales customers.
Work will be carried out across multiple locations in the United States, led by East Hartford, Connecticut, which accounts for 17% of the effort. Additional work will be performed in Indiana, Washington, Maine, California, Michigan, Oregon, Georgia, Virginia, New Jersey, and other domestic and international locations, with completion expected by March 2028.
Funding obligated at the time of award includes aircraft procurement funds from fiscal years 2024 and 2025 for both the Air Force and Navy, as well as partner nation and foreign military sales funding. Foreign military sales account for approximately $1.47 billion of the total value.
The F135 engine powers all three variants of the F-35 Lightning II fleet and remains one of the most critical components of the global fifth-generation fighter program. According to RTX, more than 1,300 F135 engines are currently in service across the worldwide F-35 fleet, which recently surpassed one million engine flight hours.
The F135 is a fifth-generation fighter engine designed to provide high thrust, low observable characteristics, and advanced thermal management. RTX states that the engine generates more than 40,000 pounds of thrust and incorporates an integrated engine control system optimized for fifth-generation air combat operations.
The propulsion system supports all three F-35 variants, including the conventional takeoff F-35A, short takeoff and vertical landing F-35B, and carrier-based F-35C. This common engine architecture is central to sustainment and logistics across the multinational fleet.
Engine production directly affects aircraft delivery schedules and fleet readiness. Continued procurement of F135 engines is required to sustain new aircraft production, replace spare engines, and support growing international fleets.
The F135 remains central to fifth-generation airpower because propulsion performance influences range, survivability, thermal signature, and mission endurance in contested environments. These factors are especially important as F-35 fleets are increasingly deployed in Europe, the Indo-Pacific, and the Middle East.