American aerospace manufacturer Pratt & Whitney has officially commenced construction of a new 100 million dollar (approximately £78 million) production facility in Rzeszów, south-eastern Poland, according to Spider’s Web – technologie. The factory will manufacture critical components for jet engines, including parts for the F135 engines that power F-35 fighter jets and engines used in commercial passenger aircraft.
The groundbreaking ceremony took place on 23 October, with company representatives and local government officials symbolically turning the first spade on the site. Whilst the investment was first announced in April, construction work has now formally begun, marking the transition from planning to implementation.
Piotr Owsicki, managing director of Pratt & Whitney in Rzeszów, emphasised that the project represents the development of advanced technological capabilities at the Polish plant. The new building will span 6,500 square metres within the existing Rzeszów facility and is scheduled to begin operations in 2028, creating more than 120 jobs in technically demanding aerospace manufacturing.
Extreme precision for extreme conditions
The facility’s primary purpose is to expand production capacity for rotating engine components, including compressor elements and turbine discs. These are among the most heavily stressed parts of any jet engine, spinning at tremendous speeds whilst exposed to high temperatures and powerful centrifugal forces. Even a minor material defect can have serious consequences, making exceptional precision and rigorous quality control essential.
The new plant will incorporate advanced heat treatment, specialist machining and testing procedures designed to detect hidden material flaws. Production will include parts made from forgings created through isothermal methods, which carefully control the temperature of both materials and tools throughout the manufacturing process.
The Rzeszów facility already supplies key components for F135 engines powering all variants of the F-35 fighter. It also produces structural elements for F100 engines and gearbox fan drives for GTF (Geared Turbofan) engines. The new hall will extend these capabilities to additional component ranges, though complete F135 engines will not be assembled in Poland – the factory will remain part of Pratt & Whitney’s international production chain.
Dual military and civilian production
The Rzeszów project is linked to expansion at Pratt & Whitney’s Columbus Forge plant in Georgia, USA. In February, the company announced a 200 million dollar investment to install a seventh isothermal forging press at the American site.
Both investments are scheduled to become operational by 2028 and will jointly increase production capacity for critical engine parts – such as rotating compressor elements and turbine discs – by roughly 30 per cent. Crucially, the new technologies will serve both military and civilian orders, covering not only F135 engines but also F100 engines used in F-16 fighters and the GTF family fitted to passenger aircraft.
This diversification means the plant will not depend solely on a single military programme but can serve different customers and aviation platforms using similar production and quality control technologies.
Poland has ordered 32 F-35A Husarz aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 engines. The domestic production of engine components does not equate to full in-country servicing capability, but it does increase Polish industry’s participation in the global F-35 programme and strengthens technical and logistical infrastructure.
Poland remains the largest centre of employment and investment for RTX Corporation (Pratt & Whitney’s parent company) outside the United States. Across Pratt & Whitney, Collins Aerospace and Raytheon facilities in Poland, the group employs more than 9,500 people.
What this means for Poles in Poland
The new Rzeszów factory reinforces south-eastern Poland’s position as one of Central Europe’s leading aerospace manufacturing hubs. For job seekers, the plant will offer over 120 skilled positions from 2028, primarily in precision engineering and quality control – roles requiring technical qualifications but offering stable, well-paid employment in a high-tech sector.
For the broader economy, the investment signals continued confidence from one of the world’s largest defence and aerospace companies in Poland’s skilled workforce and industrial infrastructure. It also creates opportunities for local supply chains and technical education institutions to partner with a major global manufacturer.
Those interested in careers at the facility should monitor Pratt & Whitney Poland’s recruitment channels as the 2028 launch date approaches. The company’s existing Rzeszów operations and other Polish sites already employ nearly 10,000 people, making RTX one of the country’s largest foreign employers in advanced manufacturing.
