Pratt & Whitney to remanufacture F100 engine modules for Chilean Air Force F-16 MLU

Pratt & Whitney remanufacture for FACh F-16 MLU F100 engine modules

To strengthen the technical sustainment of its combat fleet, the US aerospace firm Pratt & Whitney will remanufacture engine modules for the Chilean Air Force (FACh) F-16 MLU fighters, under an international contract designed to safeguard the reliability and day-to-day operational continuity of these aircraft. The work sits within a wider logistics support programme delivered through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) framework, covering several F-16 operators and reinforcing a long-term maintenance approach.

Contract value, location and schedule

The award to Pratt & Whitney is valued at an estimated 470 million dollars, representing a single overall amount allocated across all countries taking part in the programme. It provides for the remanufacture of modules for F100 engines-core to F-16 propulsion-and was processed as a single-source acquisition in line with current US regulations. Delivery will take place mainly in Georgia, with completion planned for March 2029; the contract also includes extension options that could prolong its duration.

FMS participants and contract management

The programme brings together a broad set of international FMS users, with Chile participating alongside Egypt, Greece, Indonesia, Iraq, Morocco, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Taiwan and Jordan. Contract administration is handled by Defense Logistics Agency Weapons Support, based at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and the effort will be funded through allocations tied to fiscal years 2026 to 2029.

Related sustainment and modernisation of Chile’s F-16 fleet

Pratt & Whitney’s award runs in parallel with the recently announced contract granted to BAE Systems for support and maintenance of the Chilean Air Force’s F-16 fleet, worth 98.8 million dollars. That broader agreement includes engineering services and assistance for electronic and diagnostic systems, supporting avionics availability and extending the support horizon to 2037. Together, the two efforts underline a comprehensive approach that addresses both the airframe and the aircraft’s critical systems.

In the same context, the Chilean Air Force is also pressing ahead with modernisation of its F-16 Block MLU aircraft through a contract signed with Lockheed Martin in 2023 to upgrade them to the "Tape M 6.6" standard. The upgrade package includes major improvements in radar, communications, avionics and weapons, with work to be carried out in both the United States and Chile, and an expected completion timeframe of around 2032. The potential addition of advanced technologies-such as active electronically scanned array radars-could place these fighters among the most capable in the region.

Two decades after entering service, the F-16 remains the backbone of Chile’s air defence system, operating within a networked combat architecture alongside early-warning and air-to-air refuelling platforms. Taken together, the support contracts, the modernisation effort and the remanufacture of critical components reflect an ongoing policy aimed at maintaining technological relevance and operational availability as strategic demands continue to increase.

Images used for illustrative purposes.