RTX's Pratt & Whitney Canada selected by Clean Aviation to lead PHARES hybrid-electric propulsion consortium

Selection marks the first time a Canadian company will participate in and lead a Clean Aviation program

LONGUEUIL, Quebec, Sept. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Pratt & Whitney Canada, an RTX business, has been selected by the European Union's Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (Clean Aviation) to lead the Powerplant Hybrid Application REgional Segment (PHARES) project. The selection marks the first time a Canadian company will participate in and lead a Clean Aviation program. As part of the PHARES consortium, Pratt & Whitney Canada will collaborate with RTX business Collins Aerospace, ATR, Airbus and other technology research organizations. PHARES is one of several projects RTX will participate in under Clean Aviation's third call for proposals.

For PHARES, Pratt & Whitney Canada will design and integrate a hybrid-electric propulsion demonstrator targeting up to 20% improved fuel efficiency on regional aircraft missions. The hybrid-electric propulsion system will feature an advanced PW127XT-derivative turboprop engine connected to a Collins 250 kW electric motor drive system through an optimized propeller gearbox and incorporate thermal efficiency improvements. Collins will also develop an advanced propeller system to improve fuel efficiency and reduce noise.

"Hybrid-electric propulsion and electrified aircraft systems are key parts of RTX's technology roadmap for optimizing performance and enhancing fuel efficiency across multiple future aircraft platforms, and PHARES represents a transformative opportunity to demonstrate the potential for regional aviation," said Maria Della Posta, president, Pratt & Whitney Canada. "Through our Pratt & Whitney Canada and Collins businesses, we will leverage our industry-leading experience in propulsion and electric power systems, along with our state-of-the-art research facilities."

PHARES is part of Clean Aviation's Ultra-Efficient Regional Aircraft architecture. By enabling next-generation energy-efficient technologies for regional aircraft, this demonstrator is aligned with the European Union's climate action plan and supports the aviation industry's decarbonization ambitions.

About Clean Aviation
The Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking is the European Union's leading research and innovation programme for transforming aviation towards a sustainable and climate-neutral future. It is a successful European public-private partnership between the European Commission through Horizon Europe, the EU research and innovation programme, and the European aeronautics industry. It has a budget of €4.1 billion divided into €1.7 billion in EU funding and no less than €2.4 billion in private funding. The programme's disruptive clean aviation technologies will help reduce the emission footprint of short-medium range and regional aircraft by no less than 30% compared to 2020 state-of-the-art aircraft. Clean Aviation builds on the knowledge and expertise of the Clean Sky programmes (2008-2024).

About RTX
RTX is the world's largest aerospace and defense company. With more than 185,000 global employees, we push the limits of technology and science to redefine how we connect and protect our world. Through industry-leading businesses – Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon – we are advancing aviation, engineering integrated defense systems for operational success, and developing next-generation technology solutions and manufacturing to help global customers address their most critical challenges. The company, with 2024 sales of more than $80 billion, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.

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SOURCE RTX