Lieberman, Blumenthal, Larson Applaud Navy Grant for Pratt &Whitney

WASHINGTON, DC- Senators Joe Lieberman, Richard Blumenthal and Congressman John Larson today announced a $75 million contract for the Military Engines division of Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford. The contract, which was awarded by the U.S. Navy, will fund a comprehensive set of engineering, programmatic, and logistics services for the company’s Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) F135 Propulsion System.

“I am pleased to see that the Joint Strike Fighter program continues to move forward with this award for Pratt and Whitney’s F135 engine. The Joint Strike Fighter will be a crucial asset to our national defense for years to come while also sustaining Connecticut’s robust defense industrial base. The success of this program is very important for the country, and I am very proud of the role that our state, its industries and the skilled workers of Pratt & Whitney are playing in it,” said Senator Lieberman.

“This award represents a positive step forward for Pratt & Whitney and its F135 program,” said Senator Blumenthal. “This contract is a reminder that Pratt and its workers are delivering the most reliable and most effective engines to advance the mission of the Joint Strike Fighter program well into the future.  It is a down payment on a program that will sustain and create high quality Connecticut jobs for years to come. I applaud the U.S. Navy for acknowledging the role that Connecticut’s highly skilled workers play in achieving its strategic and manufacturing goals.”

“Once again I am so proud to see Pratt & Whitney continue to ‘Keep the Eagle Flying,’” Congressman Larson said. “I want to congratulate Pratt leadership and the incredibly talented men and women that make up their workforce. This contract means new jobs and sustained success for an industry that has been a huge part of Connecticut’s manufacturing DNA for decades.”

This contract will be used for a range of tasks related to the F135 jet engine that will power the Joint Strike Fighter for U.S. Services and JSF international partners. It will be used in part to examine the feasibility, operational readiness, cost, and implementation of the system through a series of studies.

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