Rolls-Royce has been awarded a US$90.1 million production contract for engines to power MV-22 aircraft operated by the US Marine Corps.
The contract, a modification of a prior agreement, includes a total of 40 Rolls-Royce AE 1107C engines manufactured in Indianapolis, Indiana. The contract was awarded through the Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, Maryland.
Tom Bell, Rolls-Royce, President – Defence, said, “This production contract reflects continued confidence in the capability and reliability of the Rolls-Royce AE 1107C engines powering the MV-22 fleet. Continual innovation has led to increases in power, dependability and time on wing as we strive to anticipate and meet the mission needs of the US Marine Corps.”
Robust and combat-proven, the Rolls-Royce AE 1107C turboshaft is part of the AE product family, which has over 5,800 engines in service and nearly 60 million flight hours. The AE 1107 exclusively powers the growing V-22 fleet for the US Marine Corps and Air Force.
Rolls-Royce has developed engine modifications to deliver 17 percent additional power to the AE 1107C. These power enhancements, along with various reliability improvements, were developed at Rolls-Royce expense and are being implemented under the MissionCare support contract. Combined, the improvements have increased “hot and high” performance while significantly increasing time on wing.
In addition to a dedicated team of Field Service Representatives, Rolls-Royce also supports the AE 1107C engine fleet through the Defense Operations Center in Indianapolis, providing 24/7 real-time engineering support for V-22 operators.
[mappress] Press Release, February 26, 2014, 2014; Image: Rolls-Royce