Rolls-Royce vs Pratt & Whitney: Comparing power across commercial jet engines

The British manufacturer has historically supplied engines for widebodies, with models like the Trent-900 and Trent-1000 supporting aircraft such as the Airbus A380 and Boeing 787. Despite having exited the narrowbody market years ago, Rolls-Royce was once active in this segment with engines like the RB211-535 for Boeing 757s.

Pratt & Whitney's legacy includes engines like JT9D for Boeing 747s and various PW4000 series models. Their current focus is on the PW1000G series or GTF family, which powers several single-aisle aircraft types including Airbus A320neo and Embraer E190-E2.

In comparison to other industry players, General Electric's GE90-115B engine holds the record as the most powerful commercial engine currently in service with a thrust of up to 115,000 pounds. Meanwhile, both Rolls-Royce's Trent XWB-97 and Pratt & Whitney's PW4098 remain significant achievements within their respective companies.

Despite these accomplishments, both manufacturers have faced reliability challenges. Rolls-Royce's Trent 1000 suffered from blade durability issues while Pratt & Whitney's GTF engines encountered problems related to combustor liners and turbine discs.

Both companies continue to be influential in global aviation markets despite these setbacks. While Pratt & Whitney leads in certified maximum thrust with its now-discontinued PW4098 engine, Rolls-Royce dominates widebody segments through its Trent engines still being actively produced.

Looking forward, Rolls-Royce may re-enter the narrowbody market with its UltraFan geared turbofan engine scheduled for ground testing by 2028. Until then, each company maintains leadership within their respective domains: Pratt & Whitney in certified thrust output and Rolls-Royce in widebody propulsion systems.