RTX subsidiary Pratt & Whitney and GE Aerospace have completed assembly readiness reviews for their adaptive cycle engines under the US Air Force’s Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP) program.
The breakthrough moves both efforts closer to full-scale testing for the military’s future fighter aircraft, including the planned sixth-generation F-47 combat aircraft.
Development involves Pratt & Whitney’s XA103 and GE’s XA102 propulsion demonstrators, which will now shift from digital design work to physical hardware procurement and production.
The companies are now working with suppliers to secure components for engine assembly ahead of the program’s next phase award expected later this year and additional evaluations later this decade.
‘Advanced Capability’
The firms noted that their respective NGAP adaptive engines are designed to optimize fuel efficiency, survivability, and thermal management for next-generation combat aircraft.
Jill Albertelli, president of the company’s military engines business, said that the milestone “demonstrates Pratt & Whitney’s investment in digital infrastructure,” adding that the XA103 is expected to deliver performance “beyond anything available today.”
Steve Russell, vice president and general manager of Edison Works at GE Aerospace, also commented on his firm’s accomplishment, saying that it reflects “the maturity of our XA102 engine design.”
“Our use of a fully integrated digital engine model, which spans design, manufacturing, and inspection, positions us to deliver advanced capability faster and with greater precision for the warfighter,” he stated.
Both companies cleared detailed design reviews of their NGAP bids in February 2025.
The air force initially awarded each company contracts worth up to $975 million in 2022 before raising the ceiling to $3.5 billion in January 2025.
