Ashmita Sethi, President and Country Head, Pratt & Whitney, India
Since its foundation in 1925, Pratt & Whitney has been the world leader in designing, building, and servicing aircraft engines and auxiliary power units. Pratt & Whitney has been the engine power for aviation for India and the world – across regional, commercial, business, helicopter and military aviation. In India, we have the largest footprint of any engine maker in the country, and one in every two people flying in India, fly on planes powered by Pratt & Whitney engines. We are continuously evolving our collaboration in-country – from our R&D centre at IISc Bengaluru that carries out research in the areas of advanced materials, gas turbine technologies, combustion and mechanical design; to our state-of-the art India Customer Training Centre in Hyderabad that has imparted 11,500 student days of training to over 39 operators representing over 27 nationalities so far.
Pratt & Whitney Military Engines: Performance and Dependability
Over 7,000 Pratt & Whitney military engines are in service with 34 armed forces worldwide. Pratt & Whitney’s military engines portfolio includes the world’s first operational fifth-generation engine, the F119 that powers the F-22 fighter, and the world’s most advanced fighter engine F135 that powers the F-35. The F100 family power F-15s and F-16s, while the F117s power the mighty C-17 Globemasters. We also have the J52 for the EA-6B Prowler, the TF33 powering AWACS, Joint STARS, B-52, and KC-135 aircraft, as well as the PW4062 for the KC-46A Pegasus. In India, our engines power critical platforms for the Indian Air Force (IAF). From the F117 engines that power the IAF’s 11 Boeing C-17 Globemaster IIIs, and the PT6As that power its 75 Pilatus PC-7 trainers; to the recently approved C295 aircraft equipped with PW127G engines – we are proud to be the ‘engine of choice’ for IAF’s modernisation.
PW127G on the C295: Versatility, Efficiency and Dependability
The Indian Government recently approved the procurement of 56 C-295 military transport aircraft for the IAF. With 40 of the 56 aircraft being manufactured in India, this is a significant step towards India’s self-reliance. The C295 is powered by Pratt & Whitney’s twin PW127G engines that enable the versatility and efficiency of the C295. The PW127G is part of Pratt & Whitney’s PW100/ PW150 engine family which powers a variety of aircraft platforms flying diverse missions including regional commercial airlines, firefighting, aerial surveillance, cargo transport, humanitarian work and civil defense. With their low fuel burn during cruise, these engines give the C295 exceptional range and endurance for time-critical missions. Pratt & Whitney is proud to be the engine on the C295 programme, and this marks the start of another great chapter in our partnership with the Indian Air Force.
The F100-PW-299 for the F-15EX: Engine of Choice for India
The F100 engine has been entrusted by the US Air Force to power every F-15 in its operational fleet since the aircraft’s first flight in 1972. The F100 is an industry leader in fighter engine reliability, providing excellent value to its operators through low costs per flight hour. The engine’s fully modular architecture ensures ease of maintenance and incorporates leading edge technologies in materials, cooling, and health management including some advanced 5th generation technology. The latest upgraded F100- PW-229 is also fully capable of integrating with the F-15EX’s fly-by-wire flight control system. The F100-PW-229 is technologically fully capable of powering the most challenging missions against any adversary – now and in the future. Therefore, as India selects its 114 fighters for the MRFA, the F100-PW-229 is the ‘engine of choice’ to power India’s F-15EX. Pratt & Whitney looks forward to being the engine power behind IAF’s modernisation. We have already been an integral propulsion partner for India’s indigenous aircraft programmes such as the NAL-SARAS (MKI) with our PT6A engine, and our APUs power India’s Netra Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEW&CS).