GE Aerospace (GE) tapped Palantir Technologies (PLTR) as part of a new U.S. defense contract aimed at boosting readiness for the Air Force’s T-38 training fleet, marking the first digitally enabled TrueChoice Defense agreement for the J85 engine.
The maker of jet engines said it has been awarded a contract by the Defense Logistics Agency to improve sustainment of the J85 engine, which powers the Air Force’s primary training aircraft. Under the initial seven-month agreement, which includes a four-year, five-month option period, GE (GE) will deliver fleet management and supply optimization capabilities to support the Air Force’s training mission.
The program uses artificial intelligence and advanced data analytics to consolidate information across the U.S. Air Force, the Defense Logistics Agency and GE (GE). The platform is designed to predict parts demand, identify emerging supply chain constraints and give users a comprehensive operational view to enable faster decision-making and more efficient engine sustainment.
The TrueChoice Defense agreement is a performance-based way of using AI-driven analytics and integrated enterprise data to predict parts demand, reduce supply chain constraints and improve readiness across military engine fleets.
“This contract directly supports increased readiness for the J85 engine and the U.S. Air Force’s primary training fleet,” Asha Belarski, general manager of customer support and sustainment for defense and systems at GE (GE), said in a statement. “By integrating data across the enterprise and applying AI to predict demand and identify constraints earlier, we are helping the Air Force keep more aircraft available to ensure our airmen get the training required to execute on their mission.”
The award follows a test program that integrated data from multiple organizations responsible for managing more than 6,000 individual J85 engine parts. According to GE (GE), the effort demonstrated how advanced analytics can improve supply chain visibility, reduce delays and enable more proactive sustainment decisions.
As part of the contract, GE (GE) is working with Palantir (PLTR) to combine aerospace engineering expertise with data integration and artificial intelligence capabilities. The companies said they will focus on addressing supply chain bottlenecks, improving parts availability and supporting faster, more informed decisions across the J85 sustainment ecosystem.
GE (GE) said it continues to invest in digital tools that enhance readiness and operational outcomes across military engine fleets, as defense customers increasingly turn to AI-driven platforms to modernize sustainment operations.