RTX's Pratt & Whitney engine powers Northrop Grumman's YFQ-48A Talon Blue autonomous wingman

RTX's Pratt & Whitney engine powers Northrop Grumman's YFQ-48A Talon Blue autonomous wingman

Commercial engine technology adapted for CCA mission requirements

EAST HARTFORD, Conn., April 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Pratt & Whitney, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, is providing the propulsion system for Northrop Grumman's YFQ-48A Talon Blue Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). A member of Pratt & Whitney's PW500 engine family is integrated into the aircraft and is ready to power flight tests. 

Pratt & Whitney worked in close collaboration with Northrop Grumman on engine requirements and integration, while also undertaking an extensive engine test program to expand the commercial limits of its PW500 engine family for Talon Blue. This testing simulated flight and operational conditions unique to CCA missions and resulted in favorable thrust, range and operability results.

"Leveraging commercial technology allowed us to innovate faster, while balancing cost and critical performance enhancements for the CCA mission," said Peter Sommerkorn, vice president of Military Development Programs at Pratt & Whitney. "The Pratt & Whitney team took a production engine, with more than 24.5 million flight hours, self-invested in key validation and capability improvement, and integrated it into Talon Blue."

The PW500 engine family is one of several in-production commercial engines available to address the broad spectrum of CCA aircraft in development today. In addition to domestic pursuits, Pratt & Whitney is also on contract with an international customer and discussing additional opportunities with airframers.

About Pratt & Whitney 
Pratt & Whitney, an RTX business, is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines and auxiliary power units for military, commercial and civil aviation customers. Since 1925, our engineers have pioneered the development of revolutionary aircraft propulsion technologies, and today we support more than 90,000 in-service engines through our global network of maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities.

About RTX
With more than 180,000 global employees, we push the limits of technology and science to redefine how we connect and protect our world. With industry-leading capabilities, we advance aviation, engineer integrated defense systems for operational success, and develop next-generation technology solutions and manufacturing to help global customers address their most critical challenges. The company, with 2025 sales of more than $88 billion, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.

For questions or to schedule an interview, please contactcorporatepr@rtx.com

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SOURCE RTX