Pratt Execs Do Not See GTF Issues On Military Engines

NATIONAL HARBOR, Maryland—The powdered metal issues plaguing Pratt & Whitney’s geared turbofan (GTF) engines have not affected the company’s largest military engine programs, company executives told reporters Sept. 11.

Greg Hayes, chairman and CEO of Pratt parent company RTX, said that even though the same powdered metal is used in parts on almost all of its engines, including the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter’s F135, there is a difference when compared to the affected commercial fleet. 

“The difference in the F135 is the interval cycle is much, much shorter than what we’d expect on a commercial engine,” Hayes said. “We’ve been working with the customer on the military side, the [Joint Program Office] to keep them all informed. We don’t see any lifing issue today with the F135.” 

Jill Albertelli, president of Pratt & Whitney Military Engines, added to those comments about the F135 when briefing reporters at the Air Force Association’s Air, Space & Cyber conference here, saying that military aircraft flights and inspection intervals are very different than in the commercial world.

“We look at any sort of item like this across the business and across the company and every single program that we have, and for our military product or military applications, we don’t see anything new or different from what we had seen previously,” Albertelli said. She added that the company continues to be cautious and review its materials. “There is no impact to military engine operations.”

The company was able to assess the raw materials from certain lots and rule out “where we do not have any of this material,” Albertelli said.

The company estimates its fleet management program will cost Pratt and its partners $6 billion to $7 billion. And the charges to compensate customers and for labor to inspect the engines will cost up to $3.5 billion.