Pratt & Whitney Canada to Lead Europe’s Clean Aviation Hybrid Aircraft Project
Pratt & Whitney Canada, an RTX company, will lead the PHARES hybrid-electric regional aircraft project under the European Union’s Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking. The project aims to improve fuel efficiency by up to 20%.
A First for Canada
Pratt & Whitney Canada has been selected to lead the Powerplant Hybrid Application REgional Segment (PHARES) project under the European Union’s Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking. This marks the first time a Canadian company has taken the lead in the Clean Aviation programme.
Goal: More Efficient and Cleaner Flights
The PHARES project aims to develop hybrid-electric propulsion systems for regional aircraft. The goal is to improve fuel efficiency by up to 20% compared to current technology and deliver solutions aligned with Europe’s climate objectives.
As part of the project:
A PW127XT-derived turboprop engine will be integrated with Collins Aerospace’s 250 kW electric motor propulsion system.
Collins will also develop a new propeller system designed to reduce noise and improve efficiency.
The consortium will include ATR, Airbus, and several research organisations.
RTX’s Strategic Direction
Pratt & Whitney Canada President Maria Della Posta highlighted that hybrid-electric propulsion is central to RTX’s long-term strategy:
“Hybrid-electric propulsion and electric aircraft systems are key elements of RTX’s technology roadmap to optimise performance and improve fuel efficiency across multiple future aircraft platforms.”
Clean Aviation and Europe’s Vision
PHARES is part of the EU’s Ultra-Efficient Regional Aircraft architecture. Clean Aviation, a €4.1 billion public-private partnership, aims to reduce emissions by at least 30% compared to 2020 technologies.
RTX reported more than $80 billion in sales in 2024. The PHARES project further strengthens the company’s vision of investing in sustainable aviation technologies.
Other Recent RTX Developments
Raytheon (an RTX business) received a $205 million contract to produce the Phalanx Close-In Weapon System for the US Navy.
A $95.7 million contract modification was awarded for antenna kits for Tomahawk missiles.
The production contract for Medium Range Intercept Capability exceeded $412 million.
Additional engineering contracts worth $71 million were signed for missile systems.
Collins Aerospace began providing JetBlue with FlightAware Foresight analytics technology.
Strong Steps in Global Defence and Aviation
While the PHARES project represents a key part of RTX’s global strategy focused on sustainable aviation technologies, the company continues to expand with new agreements in defence and digital aviation solutions through its various business units.
