RTX's Pratt & Whitney opens European Technology and Innovation Center in the Netherlands

Rhea-AI Summary

Pratt & Whitney (NYSE:RTX) opened its European Technology and Innovation Center (ETIC) in Houten, Netherlands on Nov. 13, 2025, focused on advanced propulsion research including advanced gas turbines, hybrid-electric and hydrogen propulsion.

ETIC is co-located with Collins Aerospace's European Innovation Hub, follows memoranda with Netherlands Aerospace Group and a master research agreement with TU Delft, and includes dedicated office space at TU Delft's Aerospace Innovation Hub.

Positive

• RTX Europe headcount of 21,000
• Pratt & Whitney employs more than 7,000 staff in Europe
• ~300 RTX staff based in the Netherlands

Negative

• None.

Insights

Aerospace R&D Strategist

New European R&D site broadens Pratt & Whitney's collaboration footprint without immediate financial impact.

Pratt & Whitney opened the European Technology and Innovation Center in Houten on Nov. 13, 2025, colocated with Collins Aerospace and linked to TU Delft. The centre targets advanced gas turbines, hybrid-electric and hydrogen propulsion research and creates local lab and office capacity for joint projects.

The business mechanism is straightforward: localised research partnerships lower barriers to talent access and shared projects. This may speed technical workstreams by giving engineers proximity to academic facilities and regional suppliers, but the announcement contains no revenue, funding, or contractual commercialization terms.

Key dependencies and risks include the pace of project funding, successful integration with Collins and TU Delft teams, and the translation of research into deployable technology. None of those factors are quantified in the release, so near-term commercial impact remains uncertain.

Watch for concrete milestones such as published research, funded projects or public programs within 12–36 months and any announced applied demonstrations or follow-on industrial contracts.

European Operations Analyst

Facility adds European engineering capacity and partnership ties but gives no financial metrics or timelines.

RTX expands its Europe footprint via the Houten ETIC and additional TU Delft office space, leveraging existing Collins sites and local staff. The move strengthens operational links in the Netherlands and formalises memoranda with the Netherlands Aerospace Group and TU Delft.

Operationally, the centre should improve access to regional talent and foster collaborative projects. The press release lists staff counts and partnerships but offers no capital expenditure, hiring plan, or targets, limiting assessment of measurable impact.

Near-term items to track include announced research grants, hiring or headcount growth at the Houten site, and any publicized pilot projects or government-supported programs over the next 6–24 months.

First Pratt & Whitney facility in the Netherlands will drive collaboration on aircraft propulsion technology research and development across industry and academia 

HOUTEN, Netherlands, Nov. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Pratt & Whitney, an RTX (NYSE:RTX) business, has formally opened its European Technology and Innovation Center (ETIC), a new facility dedicated to researching advanced propulsion technologies for enabling greater energy efficiency and performance in future commercial aircraft. ETIC enhances Pratt & Whitney's capability to collaborate with industry and academia in the Netherlands and across Europe, targeting a range of high-impact technologies including advanced gas turbine systems, hybrid-electric and hydrogen propulsion.

"As an independent innovation center dedicated to cutting edge technology research, ETIC is a first-of-a-kind facility for Pratt & Whitney in Europe, complementing our existing engineering centers in North America, Poland, and across the globe," said Michael Thacker, senior vice president, Engineering and Technology, Pratt & Whitney. "We see significant potential to grow our activities in the Netherlands, given its strong engineering talent pool and long history of aerospace technology innovation, as well as the exceptional opportunities for collaboration between industry, academia and government agencies."

ETIC is co-located at Collins Aerospace's existing European Innovation Hub in Houten, Netherlands, and adds to RTX's longstanding engagement with the Dutch aerospace industry. It follows recent initiatives including RTX's two memoranda of understanding with the Netherlands Aerospace Group and the signing of a master research agreement with Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), which have established a framework for collaboration on technology research across a wide range of topics. Pratt & Whitney has also secured a dedicated office space at TU Delft's Aerospace Innovation Hub, further enhancing opportunities to collaborate in the province of South Holland.

"We are thrilled to take this next step in our collaboration with Pratt & Whitney. Working directly with their new team in Houten will strengthen our partnership, and their dedicated office space at the Aerospace Innovation Hub@TUD on the TU Delft Campus will give them seamless access to our innovation ecosystem," said Professor Henri Werij, Dean of the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, TU Delft. "Close collaboration with leading aerospace companies is crucial for developing technologies required to enable a sustainable future of aviation — and to shape the talent that will drive our industry forward."

"I am pleased to see the realization of initiatives like Pratt & Whitney's European Technology and Innovation Center in the Netherlands," said Tjerk Opmeer, deputy director-general for business and innovation, Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands. "This center has the possibility to enhance our shared vision for accelerating sustainable aviation through innovation and international collaboration. We are committed to support these transformative efforts."

Of RTX's 21,000 staff across 65 locations in Europe, some 300 are based in the Netherlands, primarily at three existing Collins Aerospace sites including Houten. Pratt & Whitney already employs more than 7,000 staff in Europe, the majority at key engineering, manufacturing and maintenance facilities in Poland.

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
RTX is the world's largest aerospace and defense company. With more than 185,000 global employees, we push the limits of technology and science to redefine how we connect and protect our world. Through industry-leading businesses – Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon – we are advancing aviation, engineering integrated defense systems for operational success, and developing next-generation technology solutions and manufacturing to help global customers address their most critical challenges. The company, with 2024 sales of more than $80 billion, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.

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

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rtxs-pratt--whitney-opens-european-technology-and-innovation-center-in-the-netherlands-302614141.html

SOURCE RTX

FAQ

What did Pratt & Whitney announce for RTX (NYSE:RTX) on Nov. 13, 2025?

Pratt & Whitney opened the European Technology and Innovation Center (ETIC) in Houten, Netherlands to research advanced propulsion technologies.

What technologies will the ETIC (RTX) focus on in the Netherlands?

ETIC will target advanced gas turbine systems, hybrid-electric, and hydrogen propulsion research.

How does ETIC connect Pratt & Whitney with Dutch academia for RTX (NYSE:RTX)?

ETIC follows a master research agreement with TU Delft and includes dedicated office space at TU Delft's Aerospace Innovation Hub.

Where is Pratt & Whitney's new ETIC located and with which RTX business is it co-located?

ETIC is in Houten, Netherlands, co-located at Collins Aerospace's European Innovation Hub.

How many RTX and Pratt & Whitney staff are based in Europe and the Netherlands?

RTX has 21,000 staff across Europe with ~300 in the Netherlands; Pratt & Whitney employs more than 7,000 staff in Europe.

What collaboration agreements did Pratt & Whitney announce in the Netherlands for RTX?

The company cited two memoranda of understanding with Netherlands Aerospace Group and a master research agreement with TU Delft to frame collaboration.