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EAST HARTFORD, Conn., April 17, 2026 — Pratt & Whitney will supply the propulsion system for Northrop Grumman’s YFQ-48A Talon Blue Collaborative Combat Aircraft, integrating a member of its PW500 engine family that is ready to power flight tests.
The company collaborated with Northrop Grumman on engine requirements and integration and conducted an extensive test campaign to push the commercial limits of the PW500 for Talon Blue. Those trials simulated flight and operational conditions specific to collaborative combat aircraft and produced favorable results for thrust, range, and operability.
“Leveraging commercial technology allowed us to innovate faster, while balancing cost and critical performance enhancements for the CCA mission,” said Peter Sommerkorn, vice president of Military Development Programs at Pratt & Whitney. “The Pratt & Whitney team took a production engine, with more than 24.5 million flight hours, self-invested in key validation and capability improvement, and integrated it into Talon Blue.”
Pratt & Whitney said the PW500 is among several in-production commercial engines positioned to support the range of collaborative combat aircraft now in development. Beyond domestic work, the company is under contract with an international customer and is in discussions with additional airframers.
