The US Air Force has ramped up its investment in next-generation jet engine technology by expanding contracts with General Electric and Pratt & Whitney.
This expanded funding will drive forward the development of advanced engines under the Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP) program to power future military aircraft.
Initially, the NGAP program focused on crafting advanced engines for a next-generation stealth fighter, which is central to the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) initiative.
However, the future trajectory of the NGAD combat jet remains uncertain, especially following a comprehensive review of the program in 2024.
With the change in administration under President Trump, the Air Force’s strategic direction for the NGAD remains in flux, leaving the ultimate role of the NGAP engines open to broader possibilities.
According to the Pentagon’s January 27 contracting notice, the new funds will enhance “technology maturation and risk reduction” efforts to ensure the success of the prototype engines.
Details from the modification to Pratt & Whitney’s contract, a Raytheon subsidiary, highlight the extensive scope of the work. The contract will support the execution of the prototype phase, including the design, analysis, and testing of the engines, alongside weapon system integration.
The goal is to deliver a propulsion system with a flexible architecture that is adaptable to future aircraft and able to handle various mission types while also allowing a digital transformation within the propulsion industry.
The Pentagon stated that no funds were being disbursed to either company at the time of the award.
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In August 2022, the US Air Force first awarded the NGAP contracts to GE Aerospace, Raytheon’s Pratt & Whitney, Boeing, Lockheed, and Northrop Grumman, with each allocated US$975 million to launch NGAP technology-maturation and risk-reduction initiatives.
With the announcement on January 27, the total contract value for each company rose to US$3.5 billion, and the list of vendors is now reduced to only GE and Pratt & Whitney.
Earlier, the focus was primarily on powering a next-generation fighter jet designed to be a successor to the F-22 Raptor.
However, a range of alternative concepts have since been proposed, including lower-cost designs and configurations aimed at filling different roles—such as increasing the capabilities of the F-35 or even functioning as an aerial drone controller.
NGAP Program
The Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP) program is an initiative by the US Air Force focused on developing advanced propulsion systems for future military aircraft.
The program aims to create engines with improved fuel efficiency, enhanced survivability, and robust power and thermal management.
Jill Albertelli, President of Pratt & Whitney Military Engines, previously underscored the importance of this technology for maintaining air superiority.
Albertelli said, “This technology is critical to maintaining air superiority, which is why Pratt & Whitney has made significant investments in research and development and advanced manufacturing.”
Information regarding the specific designs of the NGAP engines, General Electric’s XA102 and Pratt & Whitney’s XA103, remains sparse. The XA102 completed a significant design review in 2023, while the XA103 followed suit in 2024.
The Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion (NGAP) program builds upon the Adaptive Engine Transition Program (AETP), a joint initiative with Pratt & Whitney and GE Aviation.
As part of the Air Force’s Adaptive Engine Transition Program (AETP), the two companies worked on developing potential engine options to upgrade the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
In 2023, the Air Force shifted its focus away from the AETP, opting instead to upgrade the existing Pratt & Whitney F135 engine, which powers the entire F-35 fleet. Despite this change, Congress later approved further funding to ensure that AETP development would proceed.
The XA102 and XA103 engines, like the XA100 and XA101, feature adaptive cycle technology. This means their bypass ratios can be adjusted dynamically in flight to optimize fuel efficiency or provide additional thrust as needed.
For example, a tactical aircraft with this type of engine could operate in an efficient mode during transit to conserve fuel, switching to a higher-power mode once reaching its target area.
These adaptive cycle engines are expected to be vital in future large-scale conflicts, particularly in regions like the Pacific, where aerial refueling assets may be increasingly vulnerable and forward-operating bases may be limited.
General Electric has previously stated that its XA100 engine is 25% more fuel-efficient than the F135 and provides 10-20% more thrust in certain flight profiles.
Despite the ambiguity surrounding the future of the NGAD combat jet, the investments in NGAP continue. The next-generation engines and related technologies developed under the program could still form the backbone of future crewed and uncrewed aircraft in the Air Force’s arsenal.
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