Raytheon Buildout In Bengaluru Powers Up With Pratt Office

Pratt & Whitney on Jan. 19 officially recognized its new India Engineering Center in Bengaluru, alongside Collins Aerospace and other Raytheon Technologies units that are building up Indian capabilities.

More than 50 employees are now based in the Pratt office, with 450 more jobs to be filled over the next four years, the company said. Work performed at the site is focused on mechanical and control systems for various products in Pratt’s portfolio of large and small commercial engines, across product lifecycle stages from development to field support and sustainment.

“The [India Engineering Center] will fully integrate with our existing global engineering footprint across Canada, Puerto Rico and Poland to advance world-class technology such as the geared turbofan and other sustainable propulsion solutions,” said Paul Weedon, Pratt & Whitney Canada vice president for engine development. “The center team will be key to improving commercial engine performance, extending time on wing, reducing airline operating costs, and decreasing fuel consumption.”

Raytheon said India is important to its global growth and investment strategy, and the advanced infrastructure and talent pool will help drive the country’s contributions as a global leader in aerospace and defense. The Super Tier 1 and defense prime contractor is consolidating several activities in Bengaluru.

In December 2022, Collins Aerospace officially opened its Global Engineering and Technology Center in the Indian city. The division plans to spend $200 million over five years building up its engineering and manufacturing capabilities locally. Some 2,000 local staff will be hired.

The 413,000-ft.^² center is absorbing 3,000 engineers from three other Collins Aerospace locations, along with 600 personnel from other Raytheon Technologies businesses.

Besides leveraging local talent and India’s competitive cost basis compared with other Western facilities, the Bengaluru build-up comes as India is expected to become increasingly important as an aerospace and defense end-market.

Raytheon said with more than 1,500 engines and auxiliary power units in service, Pratt has one of the largest footprints for any engine maker in India. Its GTF engines power more than 180 Airbus A320neos and A321neos, which the company claimed have delivered more than $1 billion in savings to Indian airlines since entry-into-service.

Other significant investments in-country include Pratt’s India Customer Training Center in Hyderabad and its research partnership with the Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru.