DELAURO, LARSON, COURTNEY: BIDEN BUDGET IS HUGE WIN FOR F135
East Hartford, CT - Today, Reps. Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), John B. Larson (CT-01), and Joe Courtney (CT-02) released the following statement praising President Biden’s decision to pursue F135 engine modernization in his 2024 budget instead of starting a new competition for an Adaptive Engine Transition Program (AETP) engine to power the F-35 fighter jet.
“I am thrilled that the President’s Budget makes clear that the Air Force will modernize the F135 engine, enabling Pratt & Whitney to power the F-35 fighter jet for years to come. This decision will keep thousands of manufacturing jobs right where they belong—in Connecticut. Over the last two years, I was proud to have secured nearly $200 million in total to revamp the capabilities of the F-135 engine as Chair of the House Appropriations Committee,” said DeLauro. “This is a win for the warfighter, and for the taxpayer, as Pratt & Whitney has reduced the cost of the F135 engine by 50 percent since production began while improving performance to twice its original specifications for years. The F135 program is a major driver of economic growth in Connecticut and around the country, and I am thrilled to see President Biden’s continued support of it in his 2024 budget proposal.”
“I am proud President Biden’s budget will support the modernization, instead of replacement, of the most advanced, reliable, and capable production fighter engine the world has ever known- the F135,” said Larson. “For the last decade, the Pratt & Whitney engine has exceeded expectations and powered the aircraft through three major air vehicle and weapons payloads upgrades. I have fought hard alongside my House colleagues, especially Connecticut’s own Rosa DeLauro on the House Appropriations Committee and Joe Courtney on the Armed Services Committee, in a successful bipartisan effort to convince the Administration that F135 modernization is the best option, not an engine replacement.
“While the fight to protect the 27,000 F135 jobs across the state of Connecticut is not over, President Biden’s decision to support the F135 engine instead of opening a new engine competition protects these jobs and hundreds of Connecticut small businesses,” Larson continued.
“Secretary Kendall and the Air Force have made the exact right call about the modernization of the F-35 engine,” said Rep. Courtney, who serves on the Tactical Air and Land Forces (TAL) Subcommittee. “Their decision makes clear that most cost-efficient and reliable propulsion system for the F-35 is the F135 engine built by the hardworking men and women of Pratt & Whitney. Upgrading the existing engine, rather than a costly alternative engine, is the most practical approach for an already proven sustainment network and variant-common option to power the F-35.”