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Engine · Air

F135

Pratt & Whitney propulsion family for all three F-35 variants.

by Pratt & Whitney

FieldedEngineAirFirst delivery2009
rtx.com/prattwhitney/products/military-engines/f135
A Pratt & Whitney F135 engine mounted in a sea-level test cell at Arnold Engineering Development Complex

Photo: U.S. Air Force photo by Jill Pickett · Public domain (PD-USGov-Military)

Milestones20012009
  1. Contract awardF135 system development and demonstration contract, confirmed
  2. First deliveryFirst production F135 engine delivered, confirmed

Timeline2

  1. Contract awardConfirmed

    F135 system development and demonstration contract

    SourcesPratt & Whitney (release republished by GlobalSecurity.org)

  2. First deliveryConfirmed

    First production F135 engine delivered

    SourcesPratt & Whitney

Solid entries are confirmed, outlined reported, dashed estimated or still to come; dotted italic entries are speculative. Dates show only the precision the sources give.

Used in1

Cost to the government

  • Total acquisition costConfirmed
    $84.10B
    Then-year $

    F-35 engine subprogram (F135), Dec 2023 SAR via CRS; ~$61B in constant FY2012 dollars.

    Congressional Research Service
  • Unit cost (per unit)Confirmed
    $18.0M
    Dollar basis not stated

    Average cost per F135 engine per the Dec 2023 SAR as summarized by CRS (dollar basis not stated).

    Congressional Research Service
  • Contract unit priceEstimated
    $22.6M
    Estimate / observation: 2026-03-30 · Then-year $ · 296 units

    Lots 18-19 F135 combined value $6.6B (Lot 18 definitized + Lot 19 production, announced March 30, 2026); Air & Space Forces Magazine presumes ~296 engines (JPO told Breaking Defense Lot 19 is ~150 engines) giving ~$22.6M each. Includes initial spares, modules and production support; quantity is an approximation.

    Air & Space Forces Magazine
Earlier cost observations (1)
  • F135 · Contract unit price · $20.4M
    Estimate / observation: 2025-08-22 · Then-year $ · 141 units

    Lot 18 F135 undefinitized award announced Aug 22, 2025: $2.88B for 141 engines (Pratt says includes spares); average ~$20.4M per engine per Air & Space Forces Magazine.

    Air & Space Forces Magazine

Unit costs and contract unit prices for this product, and budget figures for the programs that buy it. Each figure states its dollar basis and links its source; contract values are under Programs & awards.

News1

Sources6

  1. 1.
    NewsPentagon Awards $6.6 Billion Contract for Next Two Lots of F-35 Engines

    Air & Space Forces Magazine · Apr 2, 2026 · Supports: Cost · amount

    “Presuming Lots 18 and 19 comprise around 296 engines, the average cost per powerplant would be around $22.6 million.”
  2. 2.
    NewsNew F-35 Engine Contract Puts Fighter's Price Around $100 Million

    Air & Space Forces Magazine · Aug 25, 2025 · Supports: Cost · amount

    “putting the average price of each engine around $20.4 million”
  3. 3.
    Government recordF-35 Lightning II: Background and Issues for Congress (CRS R48304)

    Congressional Research Service · Dec 11, 2024 · Supports: Cost · amount

    “The current estimate for the engine, which would cost an average of $18 million per F135”
  4. 4.
    OtherHow The World's Most Powerful Fighter Jet Engine Is Made

    Sam Eckholm · Nov 25, 2023 · Supports: System · name

    “F135”
  5. 5.
    CompanyPratt & Whitney Awarded $4 Billion JSF Engine Development Contract

    Pratt & Whitney (release republished by GlobalSecurity.org) · Oct 26, 2001 · Supports: System milestone

    “Pratt & Whitney was awarded a contract valued at more than $4 billion to develop its F135 engine”
  6. 6.
    CompanyHistory of the F135 Engine

    Pratt & Whitney · Supports: System, System milestone

    “The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), powered by Pratt & Whitney’s F135 engine”

Each fact on this page is attached to the sources that support it. Archived copies are linked when we keep one.