LARSON AND COURTNEY CELEBRATE DELIVERY OF THE 1,000TH F135 ENGINE IN EAST HARTFORD

Hartford, CT – Today, U.S. Reps. John B. Larson (CT-01) and Joe Courtney (CT-02) visited Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford to celebrate the delivery of the 1,000th F135 production engine.

  Pratt & Whitney President Shane Eddy, Rep. Larson, Rep. Courtney, and President of Pratt & Whitney Military Engines Jill Albertelli 

"I congratulate Pratt & Whitney and the 27,000 workers across Connecticut that support the F135 on this milestone,” said Larson. “The F135 is the most advanced, reliable and capable fighter engine the world has ever known. For the last decade, the Pratt & Whitney engine has exceeded expectations and kept the F-35 fighter jet flying through three major air vehicle and weapons upgrades. Now is the time to invest in its modernization and continue to support the Connecticut workers that fuel the arsenal for democracy.”  

“It was an honor to celebrate the delivery of the 1000th F135 engine with Pratt & Whitney today,” said Courtney. “Thanks to the hard work by all employees over the last decade, the F135 engine has delivered propulsion capabilities unlike any other system in our military and our allies and continues to provide our most capable fighter jet with the safest and most reliable engine in the history of military aviation. The F135 keeps the F-35 flying, and as U.S. House Chair of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee in Washington, I will work to support the women and men of Pratt and Whitney who do so much for our nation.” 

“Thanks to the support of Congressmen Larson and Courtney, Pratt & Whitney is able to deliver 1000 of the most advanced engines ever built for our warfighters. This major milestone has been made possible by Reps. Larson and Courtney’s stalwart support for the F135 engine and the 27,000 Connecticut workers at Pratt & Whitney and our suppliers. Both Congressmen are long-time champions for hardworking Connecticut families, and we are thankful for their leadership in Congress to ensure the F135 engine keeps pace with the evolving needs of our military and our allies,” said Shane Eddy, President of Pratt & Whitney. 

As Co-Chair of the bipartisan Joint Strike Fighter Caucus, Rep. Larson has led the charge for the F135 program in Congress. Rep. Courtney is a member of the House Armed Services Committee in Congress, serving as Chairman of the House Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee. Across 36 states, the F135 program supports more than 53,000 jobs, including 27,000 jobs and nearly 100 suppliers in Connecticut. 

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