Pratt & Whitney and Irkut Sign Definitive Agreement for PurePower® PW1400G Engine for MC-21 Aircraft Family

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Jun 05, 2012, 07:37 ET

MUNICH, June 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Pratt & Whitney and Russia's Irkut Corporation today signed a definitive agreement to offer the Pratt & Whitney PurePower® PW1400G engine on Irkut's MC-21 family of aircraft. This secures the PurePower engine as the only western powerplant offered on the new narrow body program. Pratt & Whitney and Irkut Corporation selected Short Brothers plc, a subsidiary of Bombardier Aerospace of Canada, as the exclusive nacelle provider for the PW1400G engine family. Pratt & Whitney is a division of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX). "Irkut Corporation" JSC is a part of "United Aircraft Corporation" JSC.

Irkut is developing the MC-21 as a family of 150 to 210-passenger aircraft with first flight of the PurePower® PW1400G engined aircraft planned for 2015 and entry into service in 2017. The MC-21 series will feature jetliners with 25,000-32,000 pounds of thrust.

"We are pleased to confirm our commitment to provide economic and environmental benefits to the MC-21 aircraft with the PurePower engine," said Todd Kallman, president, Pratt & Whitney Commercial Engines. "This revolutionary engine family continues to meet all of our performance expectations and program milestones. The PurePower engine offers the best possible reduction in fuel burn, noise, emissions and operating costs to Irkut's customers."

"We are proud to offer the Pratt & Whitney PurePower engine on our MC-21 family of aircraft. The engine makes our aircraft more competitive because it offers real savings for our customers," said Alexey I. Fedorov, president, Irkut Corporation. "Lowering fuel costs is good for airline customers, and reducing the environmental impact of commercial aviation is good for everyone."

The PurePower PW1000G series engines use an advanced gear system allowing the engine's fan to operate at a different speed than the low-pressure compressor and turbine. The combination of the gear system and an all-new advanced core deliver double-digit improvements in fuel efficiency, environmental emissions and noise.

The PurePower engine family also shares common, advanced cores and feature flight proven, next-generation technology. The engine core consists of an ultra-efficient high-pressure compressor, a low-emissions combustor, and state of the art high-pressure turbine module.

Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines, space propulsion systems and industrial gas turbines. United Technologies, based in Hartford, Conn., is a diversified company providing high technology products and services to the global aerospace and building industries.

This release includes "forward looking statements" concerning future business opportunities and other matters involving this engine that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or implied in forward looking statements include weakness in global economic conditions and in end-market demand for new aircraft, including the aircraft discussed in this press release; as well as company-specific items including the ability to achieve innovative designs and product performance benefits at planned levels and within the anticipated time frames; challenges in the design, development, production and support of advanced technologies and new products including the engine discussed in this press release; and delays and disruption in delivery of materials and services from suppliers. For information identifying other important economic, political, regulatory, legal, technological, competitive and other uncertainties, see UTC's SEC filings as submitted from time to time, including but not limited to, the information included in UTC's 10-K and 10-Q Reports under the headings "Business," "Risk Factors," "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" and "Cautionary Note Concerning Factors that May Affect Future Results," as well as the information included in UTC's Current Reports on Form 8-K.

For more information on the Pratt & Whitney PurePower engine, visit www.purepowerengines.com

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