SINGAPORE—A recent expansion of Pratt & Whitney’s Singapore-based engine center Eagle Services Asia (ESA) will grow its GTF capacity by two thirds in 2024, the engine-maker says.

“This expansion demonstrates our commitment to building industrial capacity by continuing to invest in our strategic sites around the world to support our customers,” said Shang Meleschi, Pratt's vice president of aftermarket operations for the Asia-Pacific region, on Feb. 19 at the formal opening of the 48,000-ft.²expansion. 

“We are bringing together talent from our engine center, technologies from the Singapore Technology Accelerator and innovative practices from across Pratt & Whitney to improve MRO performance for our GTF fleet.”

The ESA sites integrate technologies such as robotics, automation and machine learning to increase efficiency, lower stress on machine operators and increase safety for MRO processes. Innovations include fully automated high-pressure compressor (HPC) rotor stacking, a Receive-in-Check cobot that augments the work done by human inspectors and a robotic arm to install and remove HPC bearing sleeves.

ESA, a joint venture between Pratt and SIA Engineering Company, has already completed over 500 GTF engine overhauls since introducing GTF MRO capability in 2019. There are currently 15 active GTF MRO engine centers around the world, a number Pratt & Whitney expects to grow to 19 by 2025.

“RTX has a longstanding partnership with Singapore and EDB,” said Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) Chairman Png Cheong Boon during the opening ceremony. He noted that Pratt's Singapore operations began in 1983 with the setting up of a repair and overhaul facility for small engines at Seletar Airport. 

"Today, Pratt & Whitney has 2,500 employees in Singapore, across a range of activities including maintenance, repair and overhaul, manufacturing, R&D and regional headquarters," Png said. "This is a partnership that we strongly value.”