Aerospace

Pratt & Whitney awarded $66 million for F135 Engine Core Upgrade work

A $66 million definitized contract modification for the F135 Engine Core Upgrade preliminary design work has been granted to Pratt & Whitney, an RTX company. This brings the total amount of funding for this engine modernization project that the Connecticut congressional delegation has obtained to $180 million.

The funds will also help with design engineering, programme management assistance, technological maturation, risk mitigation, the purchase of long-lead hardware, and the integration of weapons systems.

Boeing awarded $200m contract to support F/A-18E/F aircraft production(Opens in a new browser tab)

Jen Latka, vice president of Pratt & Whitney for the F135 programme, stated, “We’re incredibly appreciative of the constant support we receive from the entire Connecticut delegation. We’ll use this financing to forward our Engine Core Upgrade’s preliminary design work quickly, which will keep us on schedule to start delivering this critical capability in 2028.

The U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Navy decided to improve the F135 rather than get a brand-new engine in March 2023. The choice was made public as a part of President Biden’s budget proposal for 2024.

Four Turkish Airlines Airbus A321neos are out of service at Istanbul Airport (Opens in a new browser tab)

“A modernized F-35 needs a modernized engine to support it. The additional $66 million for the F135 Engine Core Upgrade we’ve secured will help us maintain a skilled work force in Connecticut and around the country to deliver this much-needed capability,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee. “Upgrading the F135 is the right decision to support our national defense priorities and defense industrial base, and I’ll continue to ensure this program gets the support and funding it needs.”

All international F-35 operators can reach Block 4 capability more quickly, more affordably, and with less risk by using the F135 ECU. By preventing disruptive and expensive air vehicle upgrades and utilising the current global sustainment infrastructure, it is optimised for all three F-35 variants and will result in lifecycle cost savings of $40 billion.

Aerospace

When Ratan Tata was denied entry to the airfield at the Aero India show, he waited

During our visit to Aero India 2019, we had the unexpected opportunity to see Ratan Tata at the event, which was a thrilling moment for us. However, there was a surprising hiccup when the security staff didn’t allow him to enter due to a lack of a security pass.

Despite this, he remained calm and patiently waited for about 20 minutes until a member of the Tata team brought him the required pass, after which he calmly proceeded inside. It was a humbling sight, showcasing his composed demeanor even in such situations.

Ratan Tata ji is not only a renowned industrialist but also a trained pilot, holding a pilot’s license. In 2007, he became the first Indian civilian to fly the F-16 Falcon during the Aero India show in Bangalore—a proud moment for the nation.

His passion for aviation extended beyond flying, as he played a key role in shaping India’s aerospace industry. Under his leadership, Tata ventured into manufacturing and maintaining aerospace components while upholding its legacy of quality. Notably, Tata’s collaboration with Airbus to develop and manufacture the C295 aircraft is a testament to its growing influence in the sector.