Pratt & Whitney is stepping up automation across its Singapore maintenance hubs as it expands engine repair capacity in Asia-Pacific, with AI and robotics used to shorten turnaround times for geared turbofan and other engine work at Eagle Services Asia. The push comes as the RTX unit works to add regional capacity, bring more repairs closer to Asian operators and support growth in engine maintenance demand.
Sandra Eich, vice president of aftermarket operations for APAC and Türkiye at Pratt & Whitney Commercial Engines, outlined the strategy during MRO Asia-Pacific in Singapore. The company is using AI-driven borescope analysis, AI-enhanced X-ray inspection, autonomous inspection robots, automated parts delivery, digital damage mapping and laser-guided composite repair across its operations.
Pratt & Whitney’s Singapore Technology Accelerator plays a central role in developing and qualifying these processes before wider deployment. The company is also piloting “lights-out” factory concepts in some shops, although the focus remains on reducing unplanned shop visits, cutting turn times and increasing throughput rather than replacing workers.
Asia-Pacific has become the fastest-moving region for digitisation and automation adoption in the aftermarket, helped by support from Singapore’s Economic Development Board and other partners. RTX signed a memorandum of understanding with the agency this year covering more than $139 million in investment to expand capacity in Singapore.
Eagle Services Asia, Pratt & Whitney’s flagship engine MRO centre in Singapore, remains a key site for the geared turbofan network. Pratt & Whitney plans nine GTF-related facilities across Asia-Pacific, with seven already operating and two due to come online this year, while workforce training and continuous education programmes are being expanded so automation works alongside technicians rather than in place of them.