Hermeus has secured a production licence from Pratt & Whitney to manufacture the F100-PW-229 fighter engine, the powerplant used on some McDonnell Douglas F-15 and General Dynamics F-16 variants. The agreement gives Hermeus a new domestic production source for the engine and ties the start-up more closely to sustainment demand for a widely fielded U.S. combat propulsion system.
The deal was unveiled in the United States and positions Hermeus to build the engine under Pratt & Whitney standards rather than developing a new design. Hermeus will use its rapid-build manufacturing approach, while Pratt & Whitney, part of RTX, retains the engine programme’s core specifications and quality controls.
The arrangement is notable because legacy engine makers rarely licence core fighter-engine production to a startup. It also fits broader pressure to expand supply-chain resilience for military propulsion, particularly as operators of the F-15EX and F-16 fleets look ahead to future demand for the F100 family. Public reporting did not disclose production volumes, timing or financial terms.