Engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney recently secured a $231 million contract with the U.S. Air Force to repair and maintain its F119 engines produced by the company.
Based in East Hartford, Pratt & Whitney delivered the last production of the engine January 2013 after the Air Force announced it would terminate production of F-22 stealth fighters, which used the engines.
The contract modifies an existing agreement and will last through 2014, said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who announced the news Dec. 23.
According to Blumenthal, delegation members said the following of the news:Â “This contract is tremendous news for Connecticut”™s aerospace industry, our national defense, and workers up and down the supply chain who build F119 engines. Our state is a leader in producing specialized engine parts critical to the safety and success of our military aircraft and the soldiers who operate them, and today”™s announcement is a testament to the highly-skilled, hardworking men and women of Pratt & Whitney. We applaud their success and will continue to fight to ensure that military contracts are awarded to the most eligible manufacturers here at home.”
United Technologies Corp., which owns Pratt & Whitney and Stratford-based Sikorsky, is one the largest employers in the state.