In a recent development, Rep. John B. Larson was joined by local officials, including East Hartford Mayor Connor Martin as well as Middletown Mayor Gene Nocera, machinists along with industry leaders from Pratt & Whitney and suppliers throughout the state at the IAM Local Lodge 1746 on August 7, 2026, so as to celebrate the $1.3b deal for Pratt & Whitney to construct more spares for F135 engine in East Hartford, Middletown, Windsor, and also Wallingford.
According to Larson, he was indeed proud to lead the effort in Congress so that Connecticut workers will continue to keep the world’s top fighter jet flying right there at Pratt & Whitney for years to come. He added that it is indeed a great news that, in response to their effort in Congress to boost investments in spare part as well as engine manufacturing, the funding was not only enacted into law, but also that a $1.3 billion agreement took place so as to support high-paying jobs in East Hartford and Middletown, and at suppliers in Windsor as well as throughout the state. He will never cease fighting for the hard-working machinists and engineers who consider the state home, who make sure that the Armed Forces as well as allies have the best equipment possible every single day.
This contract was awarded due to the push by Larson, as Co-Chair of the Joint Strike Fighter Caucus, so as to get additional funding to build spares. Rep. Larson led the whole Connecticut delegation, along with a bipartisan coalition of Members of Congress from all over the country last year, in a push to increase engine spare orders, a request that passed and was signed into law in February. The financial boost follows the efforts put-in by Larson to defend manufacturing jobs in Connecticut, successfully passing a 2024 law that would prohibit the utilization of federal money to fund a costly, out-of-state alternative engine for the F135.
The $1.3b deal for Pratt & Whitney is indeed an enormous win for Connecticut workers, the economy as well as national security, opined Senator Richard Blumenthal. The men and women at Pratt happen to be dedicated and symbolise the highest level of Connecticut manufacturing and that he is proud to have stood up for these funds and will keep working hard to promote the aerospace industry of Connecticut so that companies such as Pratt & Whitney are able to continue to be pioneers in innovation while at the same time bolstering their national defence and generating opportunities for employment across the state of Connecticut.
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro remarks that as Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, she was proud to keep backing the F135 program and all of the employees who have put in endless hours to build it. She added that the F135 is the most sophisticated, dependable, and capable fighter engine in the world. Investment in the F135 is essential in order to keep flying the brave servicemembers and allied forces across the world who are being depended upon each day to uphold democracy and safeguard national and global security. She further said that she was honoured to stand with the Connecticut delegation in fighting for more funding when it came to spare engines, and that’s precisely what this $1.3 billion contract is all about. The Congresswoman said she was proud to be the partner and will continue to stand up for this initiative so one can continue to produce the F135 for many years to come.
As per East Hartford Mayor Connor Martin, he was excited to see this federal funding be used to back up projects and programs at Pratt & Whitney, promoting manufacturing jobs right here in East Hartford. He added that he wanted to thank Congressman Larson for his relentless advocacy for investment in country’s military, and his ongoing backing of Connecticut’s supply chain. And most of all, striving to keep high-paying, high-skill manufacturing jobs right here in East Hartford.
Finally, he would be remiss if he didn’t express gratitude to the thousands of machinists as well as engineers, especially the machinists here at East Hartford local 1746 as their skill, hard work and attention to detail enable Pratt & Whitney to remain a pioneer in the most sophisticated fighter jet engines in the world and that he is proud to have them in East Hartford.
It is well to be noted that Larson along with the Connecticut delegation announced $4.7 billion in new engine manufacturing contracts at Pratt & Whitney exclusively in 2026. Pratt & Whitney employs 11,000 workers and provides support for 21,000 jobs all over the state, both at Pratt and across the engine supply chain, which includes ACMT Inc. in Manchester.
Jessica Taylor, Executive Director of Aerospace Components Manufacturers said that they are indeed very grateful to Congressman Larson for his ongoing commitment to the aerospace manufacturing community and his backing of vital initiatives such as the F-35. This $1.3 billion investment in the F135 engine program will have a ripple effect far beyond the Pratt & Whitney manufacturing plants, bolstering hundreds of aerospace manufacturers and thousands of skilled workers across the region’s supply chain.
These businesses are proud to offer parts, components as well as services that help maintain the finest fighter jet in the entire world. He further said that they are also grateful that Congressman Larson as well as Pratt & Whitney understand the significance of the local supply chain and the part that continued investment in programs such as the F-35 play when it comes to fostering the highly qualified employees, quality of manufacturing as well as the prestigious aerospace legacy of their region.