Senator Collins Announces $216 Million F-35 Contract for Pratt & Whitney

Bangor, ME – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, the Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Defense, announced today that Pratt & Whitney (P&W) has been awarded $216 million for the F-35 Engine Core Upgrade (ECU) Risk Reduction contract. The contract has a potential value of $1.3 billion. A portion of the work for this contract will be performed at P&W’s North Berwick facility.  

“The F-35 engine core upgrade is critical to modernizing the most widely used advanced fighter aircraft in the U.S. military, including in the Air Force, Navy, and in the Marine Corps,” said Senator Collins. “I am pleased that the Department of Defense has recognized the contributions of the highly-skilled workforce at Pratt & Whitney, and I look forward to North Berwick’s continued success in supporting our national defense.”  

P&W’s North Berwick Aero Systems facility produces world-class modules, components, and parts for commercial and military engines. The plant is more than 1 million square feet, and is the largest manufacturing facility under one roof in Maine.

This contract award is supported by funding appropriated in the FY24 government funding bills co-authored by Senator Collins.  She is working to advance additional funding for the ECU program in the FY25 bills.  

The contracted work is expected to be completed by 2028.

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