RTX business Pratt & Whitney has granted Georgia-based aerospace company Hermeus a production license to manufacture F100-PW-229 fighter jet engines, marking the first time an independent US company has received authorization to produce the powerplant.
The agreement establishes an additional domestic production source for the F100-PW-229, supporting efforts to expand engine output for the US Armed Forces amid increasing demand for platforms including the F-15 and F-16 fighter aircraft.
Under the arrangement, Hermeus will manufacture the engines using its rapid-production approach. The initiative is intended to strengthen the US defence industrial base while also supporting Hermeus’ development of its proprietary Quarterhorse high-speed unmanned aerial system.
The F100-PW-229 will also play a role in the development of Hermeus’ Chimera propulsion architecture, a hybrid system being developed for future hypersonic flight applications.
Initial production of the F100-PW-229 will take place at Hermeus’ existing manufacturing facilities in Georgia. The company plans to expand to full-scale production in line with future customer requirements and demand.
The licensing agreement represents a new industrial partnership for the F100 engine family and provides Pratt & Whitney with an additional manufacturing pathway for a widely deployed fighter aircraft propulsion system.
