Pratt & Whitney has been awarded by the U.S. Department of Defense an undefinitized contract award (UCA) for F135 production engines not more than $1,122,306,649 to drive the F-35 Lightning II.
The DoD and Pratt & Whitney have entered into a contract tentatively on significant terms for the low rate initial production (LRIP) 5 which includes cost-plus and fixed-price incentive fee elements.
This LRIP agreement includes spare parts, production engines, engineering support and program management for sustainment, production and field support for the F135 engines. Pratt & Whitney is a company of United Technologies.
According to Pratt & Whitney’s president of Military Engines, Bennett Croswell, this UCA is significant to enable its STOV lift system partner Rolls Royce and Pratt & Whitney reach major milestones for delivering LRIP 5 production. Contract negotiations are expected with the F-35 Joint Program Office, which will show the progress made on the affordability of F135.
The fifth engine lot comprises 21 conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) engines for the U.S. Air Force, three short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) propulsion systems for the U.S. Marine Corps and six carrier variant (CV) engines for the U.S. Navy.
The engines in LRIP 5 will assist the U.S. Services with key engine deliveries scheduled to commence to commence in late-2012.
Pratt & Whitney has engineered, manufactured and tested the F135 to offer a highly sophisticated fighter engine for the US and its allies world-over.