Today, Pratt & Whitney completed the second phase of an assembly-floor transformation project at its Middletown, Conn., facility to prepare the Engine Center to ramp up for production of its portion of PurePower® PW1100G-JM engines for the Airbus A320neo family and increase capacity for the F135 engine powering the F-35 Lightning II for the U.S. Military. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) company.

Pratt & Whitney leadership, employees and customers gathered today at the facility for a ribbon-cutting to mark the completion of a streamlined V2500 engine assembly line, the completion of Phase Two of the transformation. This four-phase project reconfigures the engine center to best use existing factory space to annually produce hundreds of V2500 engines, while making space for new engine lines for the F135 and PW1100G-JM engine programs.

"Pratt & Whitney is transforming its global operations. We're investing hundreds of millions of dollars to prepare for our ramp in production for our Next Generation Product Family, including significant investments in our Connecticut facilities," said Joe Sylvestro, vice president, Manufacturing Operations, Pratt & Whitney. "Our Connecticut operations continue to be an important part of Pratt & Whitney's bright future. High technology development and production, like the V2500 line, build on our legacy of success here."

Entering service in 1989, the V2500 turbofan engine continues to be a workhorse model for close to 200 customers. It is known for its reliability and fuel efficiency, as well as its superior environmental performance for both noise and emissions. Currently, the V2500 is available across three platforms: the Airbus A320ceo family, the Boeing MD-90, and the Embraer KC-390.