Alenia Aeronautica, a Finmeccanica company, and Rolls-Royce, the world-leading provider of power systems and services, have signed an agreement worth more than $200 million under which Rolls-Royce will supply 42 propulsion systems for C-27J tactical military transport aircraft.
The C-27J is a candidate for the Joint Cargo Aircraft program for the U.S. Army and Air Force.
The agreement includes up to 84 AE 2100-D2 engines, which are manufactured by Rolls-Royce in Indianapolis, IN. Rolls-Royce is the world’s leading producer of engines for military transport aircraft.
The agreement also includes six-bladed Dowty R-391 propellers and technical support.
Dennis Jarvi, President Defense North America for Rolls-Royce, said, “This agreement with Alenia Aeronautica is a very significant development in cooperation between two leading aerospace companies. The agreement demonstrates the continued commitment of Rolls-Royce to meet the needs of the military customer, in the U.S. and among other allies around the world.”
Giovanni Bertolone, CEO of Alenia Aeronautica, said: “The Rolls-Royce AE 2100-D2 engine is one of the key elements assuring the excellent performance and reliability of the C-27J. The growth potential of the Rolls-Royce engines also provide the aircraft with the capacity to carry out all the tactical transport roles foreseen in the years to come.”
C-27J Spartan aircraft are in use by the Hellenic Air Force and being delivered to the Italian and Bulgarian air forces.
BACKGROUND NOTES:
1. Rolls-Royce AE 2100 engines also power C-130J aircraft. The AE “common core” engine line also includes the AE 1107C-Liberty, which powers the V-22 Osprey, as well as the AE 3007, which powers Global Hawk and corporate/regional aircraft such as Embraer 135/145.
2. The AE engine line has logged more than 21 million hours of operation and the engines are manufactured by Rolls-Royce in Indianapolis, IN.
3. Rolls-Royce, the world-leading provider of power systems and services for use on land, at sea and in the air, operates in four global markets - civil aerospace, defence aerospace, marine and energy. It is investing in technology and capability that can be exploited in each of these sectors to create a competitive range of products.
4. The success of these products is demonstrated by the company’s rapid and substantial gains in market share over recent years. The company now has a total of 54,000 gas turbines in service worldwide. The investments in product, capability and infrastructure to gain this market position create high barriers to entry.
5. Rolls-Royce employs around 36,000 people, of which 22,000 are in the UK. Forty per cent of its employees are based outside the UK - including nearly 5,000 in the rest of Europe and nearly 8,000 in North America. (ends)
Alenia Aeronautica and Rolls-Royce Sign $200m Agreement for Engines to Power C-27J Aircraft
