The US Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded a contract to Rolls-Royce to deliver AE 1107C engines in support of the V-22 Osprey aircraft programme.
Under the $83.7m modification contract, part of a previous award, the company will provide 38 engines to power 19 V-22 Osprey aircraft operated by both the US Marine Corps (USMC) and the US Air Force (USAF).
Rolls-Royce Defence president Tom Bell said: "This contract demonstrates the trust the US Marine Corps and Air Force have in the Rolls-Royce AE 1107C engines which power their V-22 fleets."
Incorporating high-efficiency components and reduced maintenance features, the AE 1107C turboshaft engine was developed as the T406 for the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor transport aircraft.
Offering vertical operation, modular construction, and an on-condition maintenance capability for the aircraft, the engine features six rows of variable compressor vanes, dual FADEC and a self-contained oil system.
Designed to perform multiple missions with long-range, high-speed cruise performance, the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey features both vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL), as well as short takeoff and landing (STOL) capabilities for combat search-and-rescue, special warfare and fleet logistic support.
Work under the latest contract will be carried out at the company’s facility in Indianapolis, Indiana, while the US Naval Air Systems Command will serve as the contracting activity.
Rolls-Royce will continue to provide real-time engineering support for V-22 operators, as well as support for the AE 1107C engine fleet through the new Defense Operations Center in Indianapol, US.
Part of the AE product line, more than 5,500 AE 1107C engines are currently in-service and have logged in excess of 54 million flight hours to date.
Image: Bell Boeing-built V-22 aircraft readies to land in adverse conditions. Photo: US Marine Corps photo.
