Hermeus Secures F100 Engine Production License for Supersonic Aircraft

Hermeus Aerospace, a Los Angeles-based developer of supersonic commercial aircraft, has secured a production license from Pratt & Whitney to manufacture the F100-PW-229 fighter jet engine. The agreement grants Hermeus the capability to build the engines under Pratt & Whitney’s quality and safety standards, marking a pivotal step toward scaling production of its Quarterhorse aircraft—a prototype that earlier this year achieved supersonic flight. The F100 engine, which has powered U.S. Air Force’s F-15 and F-16 fighters for over five decades, currently powers Hermeus’s own aircraft. With more than 32 million flight hours logged, the F100-PW-229 remains a proven, high-performance propulsion system. Pratt & Whitney, a division of RTX Corporation (NYSE: RTX), employs over 180,000 people globally and recorded over $88 billion in sales for 2025. The partnership underscores Pratt & Whitney’s strategy to expand U.S. production capacity to meet rising demand for advanced military and commercial aviation engines. Jessica Villardi, Vice President of Fighter & Mobility Programs at Pratt & Whitney, emphasized the collaboration’s role in ‘expanding U.S. production capacity to meet growing customer demand while delivering the proven dependability that defines the F100 engine.’ Zach Shore, Hermeus CEO, highlighted the deal as a milestone, noting that the company now possesses ‘in-house propulsion capability required to scale Quarterhorse production,’ positioning Hermeus as the first vertically integrated airframer with full propulsion integration. The move aligns with broader industry trends toward modular, rapid-build production methods, potentially accelerating the commercialization of supersonic travel.