Rolls-Royce awarded $598 million V-22 engine contract

Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, has signed a $598 Million contract with the US Department of Defense for 268 AE 1107C engines for US Marine Corps and Air Force V-22 aircraft.

In the first year, Rolls-Royce will deliver 70 engines valued at $151 Million. The contract includes four additional option years, with deliveries expected to total 268, including spare engines. Rolls-Royce is the sole manufacturer of the engines for the V-22 and has delivered 550 AE 1107C engines to the US Department of Defense.

Patricia O’Connell, Rolls-Royce, President Customer Business – North America, said, “Rolls-Royce continues to be the world leader in tilt-rotor engines and this long-term contract reflects the confidence our customer has in our expertise and our technology. Throughout the length of this contract, we will strive to further improve performance and capability of this unique aircraft.”

The Rolls-Royce turboshaft engines help provide the unique capability for the V-22, allowing the tilt-rotor aircraft to take off and land like a helicopter, and to rotate its engines forward to fly like an airplane. The V-22 aircraft can carry more troops, fly faster and has greater range than the helicopters it will replace.

The AE 1107C has amassed over 260,000 engine flight hours.

    Rolls-Royce is a world-leading provider of power systems and services for use on land, at sea and in the air, and has established a strong position in global markets - civil aerospace, defence aerospace, marine and energy.

    As a result of this strategy, Rolls-Royce has a broad customer base comprising more than 500 airlines, 4,000 corporate and utility aircraft and helicopter operators, 160 armed forces, more than 4,000 marine customers, including 70 navies, and energy customers in more than 80 countries.

    Annual underlying revenues were £11.3 billion in 2011, of which more than half came from the provision of services. The firm and announced order book stood at £62.2 billion at 31 December 2011, providing visibility of future levels of activity.

    Rolls-Royce employs over 40,000 people in offices, manufacturing and service facilities in over 50 countries. Over 11,000 of these employees are engineers. 

    In 2011, Rolls-Royce invested £908 million on research and development, two thirds of which had the objective of further improving the environmental performance of its products, in particular reducing emissions. 

    Rolls-Royce supports a global network of 28 University Technology Centres, which connect the company’s engineers with the forefront of scientific research.

    The Group has a strong commitment to apprentice and graduate recruitment and to further developing employee skills.