Jan 27 (Reuters) - Aerospace and defense giant RTX posted a higher fourth-quarter revenue and profit on Tuesday, driven by a rise in sales for its engines and a strong appetite for commercial aircraft maintenance and repair services.

RTX shares gained 3.4% in premarket trading.

RTX was helped by increased sales for its F135 turbofan engine, which powers all variants of Lockheed Martin's F-35, as well as continued maintenance demand for its decades‑old F100 engine.

In August, the company's engine business, Pratt and Whitney, bagged a $2.8 billion contract for 141 F135 engines. It also received a $1.6 billion F135 sustainment contract in December.

The unit, which also makes engines for Airbus' A320neo jets, posted a 25% rise in adjusted sales during the fourth quarter.

Arlington, Virginia-based RTX also benefited from strong demand for its maintenance and repair services as a shortage of new commercial aircraft has pushed airlines to fly older, more cost-intensive fleets.

Adjusted sales at RTX's aerospace and avionics business Collins rose 3% in the fourth quarter while its defense arm, Raytheon, reported a 7% rise during the same period.

RTX forecast 2026 adjusted sales in the range of $92 billion to $93 billion, the midpoint of which was slightly ahead of Wall Street expectations of $92.46 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG.

It reported a total revenue of $24.24 billion for the quarter ended December 31, up about 12% from a year earlier.

Excluding items, its per-share profit stood at $1.55 in the quarter, compared with $1.54 a year earlier.

RTX paid $3.57 billion in dividends in 2025, up 11.1% from the previous year.

However, earlier this month President Donald Trump signed an executive order linking share buybacks, dividends and executive compensation to weapons delivery schedules, a move that could add uncertainty around future capital returns.

He singled out Raytheon, warning the unit's government contracts could be at risk if it failed to curb stock buybacks.