RTX's Pratt & Whitney to provide affordable mass propulsion for Leidos' Small Cruise Missile program

Rhea-AI Summary

RTX's Pratt & Whitney has secured a contract from Dynetics, a Leidos company, to provide TJ150 turbojet engines for their Small Cruise Missile program, Black Arrow. The TJ150 engine, delivering 150-pounds of thrust, is a compact, high-performance turbojet designed for autonomous systems and weapons. The contract, which began in April 2025, extends through Q1 2026 with options for additional engines. The TJ150 has already proven successful in Black Arrow's guided test flight in late 2024 and has delivered over 2,700 units globally. Pratt & Whitney is implementing additive manufacturing to enhance production flexibility while maintaining reliability. The company emphasizes its ready production capacity ahead of demand, positioning the TJ150 for high-rate production scenarios.

Positive

• Contract secured for TJ150 engines with potential follow-on quantities
• Existing production capacity already in place ahead of demand
• Proven track record with over 2,700 engines delivered globally
• Implementation of additive manufacturing for enhanced production flexibility

Negative

• None.

TJ150 turbojet engines will power the multi-use Black Arrow missile 

PARIS, June 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Pratt & Whitney, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, has secured a contract from Dynetics, a Leidos company, to supply TJ150 engines to be integrated with their Small Cruise Missile, known as Black Arrow.

The TJ150 is a compact, high performance turbojet engine that can be manufactured quickly. It has proven reliability and scalability in both production and size. With 150-pounds of thrust, it can light and operate at high altitudes and is designed to power a variety of autonomous systems and weapons for domestic and international customers.    

"Our TJ150 engines exemplify the modified off-the-shelf solutions that Pratt & Whitney has available for advanced and cost-efficient effectors at scale," said Chris Hugill, executive director of Pratt & Whitney GATORWORKS. "Production capacity is in place today, ahead of demand, which strongly positions our TJ150 engine for a range of high-rate production scenarios."

Although preliminary integration studies with Pratt & Whitney commenced in 2023, work under this current contract began in April 2025 and will run through the first quarter of 2026. There is an option to provide follow-on quantities of engines. The TJ150 is in production today, and Pratt & Whitney is continuing to improve upon the engine with a focus on affordability.

"Black Arrow completed a successful guided test flight, powered by the TJ150, late last year," said Mark Miller, senior vice president for Missile and Aviation Systems at Leidos. "The ability to rely on a proven propulsion system like the TJ150 frees up our team to focus on optimizing the missile to meet the needs of the strike weapons community."

Today, the TJ150 powers several missile applications, with over 2,700 delivered to customers globally. Pratt & Whitney is applying additive manufacturing to the engine to offer the same robust, reliable engine, while providing production flexibility and expanded supply base solutions.

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-to-provide-affordable-mass-propulsion-for-leidos-small-cruise-missile-program-302480585.html

SOURCE RTX

FAQ

What is the purpose of RTX's TJ150 engine contract with Leidos?

The TJ150 engines will power Leidos' Small Cruise Missile program called Black Arrow, providing propulsion for autonomous systems and weapons.

How many TJ150 engines has Pratt & Whitney delivered globally?

Pratt & Whitney has delivered over 2,700 TJ150 engines to customers globally for various missile applications.

What is the thrust capacity of the RTX TJ150 turbojet engine?

The TJ150 turbojet engine delivers 150-pounds of thrust and can operate at high altitudes.

When did Black Arrow complete its first successful guided test flight with the TJ150?

Black Arrow completed a successful guided test flight powered by the TJ150 engine in late 2024.

How is RTX improving the TJ150 engine production process?

RTX is applying additive manufacturing to the TJ150 engine to maintain reliability while providing production flexibility and expanded supply base solutions.