Article Posted on : - Apr 13, 2016

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

WASHINGTON (BNS): The US Defence Department has awarded a contract worth US$ 1.4 billion to engine maker Pratt & Whitney to supply engines for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighters.

The ninth low rate initial production (LRIP) contract covers 66 total production engines, including spare engines, spare modules, and spare parts.

The production contract includes 53 conventional take off and landing (CTOL) and 13 short take off and vertical landing (STOVL) propulsion systems for the United States Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps as well as five countries - Italy, Norway, Israel, Japan and the United Kingdom, the company said in a statement on April 12.

"The latest agreement with the F-35 Joint Programme 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 programme," said Mark Buongiorno, vice president, Pratt & Whitney F135 Engine Programme.

To date, Pratt & Whitney has delivered 273 production engines for the JSF programme.