Hermeus Licensed to Manufacture Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 Fighter Engines, Accelerating Quarterhorse Production
Why It MattersThe deal adds a qualified second production source for a decades-old fighter engine, signaling a broader push to expand and diversify U.S. defense engine manufacturing capacity.
Pratt & Whitney, an RTX business, and Hermeus announced a Production License Agreement on September 15, 2026, authorizing Hermeus to manufacture the F100-PW-229 engine, one of the most widely fielded fighter propulsion systems in the U.S. military. Hermeus will produce the engines using its rapid-build production model while adhering to Pratt & Whitney's standards for quality, safety, and site activation, creating a new qualified production source intended to expand U.S. domestic capacity for growing customer demand.
The F100 engine has accumulated more than 32 million flight hours and has powered the U.S. Air Force's F-15 and F-16 fighter jets for more than five decades. It also powers Hermeus' Quarterhorse aircraft, which achieved supersonic flight earlier in 2026, making it the world's first privately developed unmanned supersonic jet.
Jessica Villardi, Vice President of Fighter & Mobility Programs at Pratt & Whitney, said the partnership expands U.S. production capacity to meet growing customer demand while delivering the proven dependability that defines the F100 engine. Hermeus CEO Zach Shore said the agreement makes Hermeus the first vertically integrated airframer with in-house propulsion capability required to scale Quarterhorse production, while also expanding domestic engine capacity for the broader U.S. defense industrial base.
