Air Force awards $7B for next-gen jet propulsion development

The Air Force Lifecycle Management Center has modified two contracts, totaling $7 billion, for the Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP) program's prototype phase. General Electric’s GE Edison Works in Cincinnati and Raytheon’s Pratt & Whitney Engines in East Hartford, CT, will advance the program, which aims to develop state-of-the-art adaptive engines for future combat aircraft.

GE’s contract modification (FA8626-22-D-0010) adds a $3.5 billion ceiling to its existing indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract. The work includes technology maturation, risk reduction, and prototype development, and is slated for completion by July 11, 2032. Similarly, Pratt & Whitney’s contract modification (FA8626-22-D-0002) raises its ceiling from $975 million to $3.5 billion, encompassing design, analysis, rig testing, prototype builds, and weapon system integration. Work is expected to conclude by 13 July 2032.

GE and Pratt & Whitney are longstanding suppliers to the Air Force, with extensive portfolios supporting combat and mobility aircraft. GE’s F110 and F118 engines power aircraft such as the F-15, F-16, and B-2 Spirit bomber, while the F101 engine serves as the foundation for its adaptive engine technology. Pratt & Whitney is the sole engine provider for the F-35 Lightning II, with its F135 engine. It also supplies the F119 engines for the F-22 Raptor and the F100 engines for earlier F-15 and F-16.