Honeywell Expands Phoenix Campus for US Navy Jet Trainer Engines

This article is based on an official press release from Honeywell.

Honeywell has announced plans to expand its Phoenix Engines campus by introducing on-site assembly for its F124 jet engines. According to a company press release, the newly assembled Honeywell F124-GA-200 engines are slated to power the Beechcraft M-346N, which is currently a candidate for the U.S. Navy’s Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS).

The expansion aims to co-locate engine manufacturing with the company’s existing engineering and design center in Arizona. Honeywell stated that this strategic alignment is designed to directly support the UJTS program, which is expected to be contracted by the Navy in 2027.

By bringing production closer to its design teams, the aerospace manufacturer hopes to streamline operations ahead of the Navy’s final decision. We note that this development represents a focused effort to bolster domestic defense manufacturing capabilities in the United States.

Powering the Next Generation of Navy Trainers

The Beechcraft M-346N and UJTS Program

The U.S. Navy is actively seeking to replace its aging fleet of T-45 training jets. Through the UJTS program, the military branch plans to procure a new combination of aircraft and simulators, with requirements calling for more than 200 new military aircraft, according to the manufacturer’s announcement.

To meet these requirements, Textron Aviation Defense and Leonardo have formed a teaming agreement. The press release notes that the Beechcraft M-346N candidate is part of an integrated training system based on Leonardo’s original M-346 aircraft. If the Navy awards the contract to Textron Aviation Defense, final assembly of the aircraft will take place at Textron’s East Campus in Wichita, Kansas.

Phoenix Campus Expansion and Production Details

Co-locating Engineering and Manufacturing

By bringing assembly to the Phoenix campus, Honeywell expects to streamline its production process. The company projects that assembly of the engines for the Beechcraft M-346N will begin in 2027. Over the subsequent 13 years, Honeywell anticipates building more than 400 engines, utilizing components sourced from 12 different U.S. states.

The F124 engine family has a long history in military aviation. The company highlighted that there are currently over 100 M-346 aircraft in service powered by F124 engines, and the broader F124 and Augmented F125 engine family has accumulated more than 1.5 million flight hours globally.

“We’re proud to start building our F124 engines in Phoenix as we support the U.S. Navy in its new jet trainer program,” said Dave Marinick, president of Engines & Power Systems at Honeywell Aerospace, in the official release.

AirPro News analysis

At AirPro News, we view Honeywell’s decision to expand its Phoenix footprint as a reflection of a broader aerospace industry trend toward consolidating engineering and manufacturing hubs. By emphasizing that the F124 engine contains parts from 12 U.S. states and co-locating assembly domestically, we believe Honeywell and its partners are strategically positioning their bid to appeal to the Department of Defense’s preference for robust, U.S.-based supply chains and manufacturing networks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the U.S. Navy UJTS program?

The Undergraduate Jet Training System (UJTS) is a U.S. Navy procurement program aimed at replacing the current fleet of T-45 training jets with over 200 modern aircraft and accompanying simulators.

Where will the new Honeywell engines be built?

According to the company, the F124-GA-200 engines will be assembled at Honeywell’s Phoenix Engines campus in Arizona, starting in 2027.

What aircraft will these engines power?

The engines are designed to power the Beechcraft M-346N, a training aircraft proposed by Textron Aviation Defense and Leonardo for the Navy’s UJTS contract.

Sources: Honeywell