Pratt & Whitney, an RTX business, has formally opened its European Technology and Innovation Centre (ETIC), a new facility dedicated to researching advanced propulsion technologies for enabling greater energy efficiency and performance in future commercial aircraft. ETIC enhances Pratt & Whitney’s capability to collaborate with industry and academia in the Netherlands and across Europe, targeting a range of high-impact technologies including advanced gas turbine systems, hybrid-electric and hydrogen propulsion.

“As an independent innovation centre dedicated to cutting edge technology research, ETIC is a first-of-a-kind facility for Pratt & Whitney in Europe, complementing our existing engineering centres in North America, Poland, and across the globe,” said Michael Thacker, senior vice president engineering and technology at Pratt & Whitney. “We see significant potential to grow our activities in the Netherlands, given its strong engineering talent pool and long history of aerospace technology innovation, as well as the exceptional opportunities for collaboration between industry, academia and government agencies.”

ETIC is co-located at Collins Aerospace’s existing European Innovation Hub in Houten, Netherlands, and adds to RTX’s longstanding engagement with the Dutch aerospace industry. It follows recent initiatives including RTX’s two memoranda of understanding with the Netherlands Aerospace Group and the signing of a master research agreement with Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), which have established a framework for collaboration on technology research across a wide range of topics. Pratt & Whitney has also secured a dedicated office space at TU Delft’s Aerospace Innovation Hub, further enhancing opportunities to collaborate in the province of South Holland.

“We are thrilled to take this next step in our collaboration with Pratt & Whitney. Working directly with their new team in Houten will strengthen our partnership, and their dedicated office space at the Aerospace Innovation Hub@TUD on the TU Delft Campus will give them seamless access to our innovation ecosystem,” said Professor Henri Werij, dean of the faculty of aerospace engineering, TU Delft. “Close collaboration with leading aerospace companies is crucial for developing technologies required to enable a sustainable future of aviation – and to shape the talent that will drive our industry forward.”

“I am pleased to see the realisation of initiatives like Pratt & Whitney’s European Technology and Innovation Centre in the Netherlands,” said Tjerk Opmeer, deputy director-general for business and innovation, ministry of economic affairs of the Netherlands. “This centre has the possibility to enhance our shared vision for accelerating sustainable aviation through innovation and international collaboration. We are committed to support these transformative efforts.”

Of RTX’s 21,000 staff across 65 locations in Europe, some 300 are based in the Netherlands, primarily at three existing Collins Aerospace sites including Houten. Pratt & Whitney already employs more than 7,000 staff in Europe, the majority at key engineering, manufacturing and maintenance facilities in Poland.

about Pratt & Whitney

Pratt & Whitney, an RTX business, is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines and auxiliary power units for military, commercial and civil aviation customers. Since 1925, our engineers have pioneered the development of revolutionary aircraft propulsion technologies, and today the company supports more than 90,000 in-service engines through its global network of maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities.

about RTX

RTX is the world’s largest aerospace and defence company. With more than 185,000 global employees, the company aims to push the limits of technology and science to redefine how to connect and protect the world. Through industry-leading businesses – Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon – it is advancing aviation, engineering integrated defence 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.