Pratt & Whitney has opened a new European Technology and Innovation Centre in the Netherlands to advance research into next-generation aircraft propulsion, including hydrogen, hybrid-electric systems and more efficient gas turbines, the company stated.
The European Technology and Innovation Center (ETIC) in Houten is Pratt & Whitney’s first dedicated research site in the Netherlands and is intended to deepen collaboration with industry and academic institutions across Europe. According to the company, the facility will focus on technologies that could improve efficiency and performance in future commercial aircraft.
Michael Thacker, senior vice president for Engineering and Technology at Pratt & Whitney, said the new hub complements the firm’s engineering network in North America, Poland and elsewhere. He said “ETIC is a first-of-a-kind facility for Pratt & Whitney in Europe” and highlighted what he described as strong opportunities to expand cooperation in the Netherlands’ aerospace sector.
The centre is co-located with Collins Aerospace’s European Innovation Hub, reinforcing RTX’s broader footprint in the Dutch aerospace industry. Recent initiatives cited by the company include two memoranda of understanding with the Netherlands Aerospace Group and a master research agreement with Delft University of Technology (TU Delft). Pratt & Whitney has also secured office space within TU Delft’s Aerospace Innovation Hub.
Professor Henri Werij, dean of the university’s Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, said “working directly with their new team in Houten will strengthen our partnership”, adding that collaboration with major aerospace firms helps shape both future technologies and the engineers who will work on them.
The Dutch government also signalled support. Tjerk Opmeer, deputy director-general for business and innovation at the Ministry of Economic Affairs, said “this center has the possibility to enhance our shared vision for accelerating sustainable aviation through innovation and international collaboration.”
RTX currently employs around 300 staff across several Collins Aerospace sites in the Netherlands, while Pratt & Whitney has more than 7,000 personnel in Europe. The company said the new centre will enhance long-term cooperation aimed at developing sustainable propulsion solutions.
Fockers.