Rolls-Royce power for helicopters

Rolls-Royce produces one of the broadest turboshaft engine families available in the world, with a power range stretching from 420 shaft horsepower to more than 6,000shp.

The industry-leading fleet of 17,000 Rolls-Royce turboshaft engines - powering light aircraft, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), in both civil and military markets - has accumulated over 180 million flying hours. Customers draw on the support of the Rolls-Royce Model 250 FIRST network of 27 service centres and 170 Rolls-Royce technical representatives. The 2,100-3,000 shaft horsepower RTM322 engine is made by a 50:50 joint venture comprising Rolls-Royce and Turbomeca, a business unit of Safran, and is the engine of choice in its class.

Two variants of the RTM322-powered EH101 are in operation with the United Kingdom's Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, and the engine also powers the British Army's Apache AH Mk1 helicopter. Additionally, Denmark, Japan and Portugal have chosen the RTM322 for their EH101.

The RTM322 is also the customers' engine of choice for the NH Industry NH90 helicopter family, the RTM322/NH90 combination having been selected by the armed forces of Finland, France, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Portugal, Sweden and - most recently - Australia.

To date, orders, options and stated requirements for the RTM322 exceed 1,500 engines. The RTM322 has been selected for over 60 per cent of all EH101 helicopters ordered and has been selected by over 90 per cent of NH90 nation customers.

The T800/CTS800 family is produced by the Rolls-Royce/Honeywell Light Helicopter Turbine Engine Company (LHTEC) joint venture. Originally developed for the RAH-66 Comanche program, the T800/CTS800 family - which spans 1,360 - 1,680 shp - is now in production for the AgustaWestland Super Lynx 300, as ordered by Malaysia, Oman, South Africa and Thailand. The T800/CTS800 family is also used on the AgustaWestland A129I Mangusta International helicopter and the ShinMaywa US-2 amphibian aircraft, and has been selected to power the prototype of the Sikorsky X2 Technology high-speed rotorcraft.

The three-nation MTR390 has been developed by MTU Aero Engines, Turbomeca and Rolls-Royce to power the Eurocopter Tiger helicopter, which has been ordered by the armed forces of France, Germany, Australia and Spain. The MTR partners are now working with ITP of Spain to develop the growth 1,450 shp MTRI MTR390-E engine for the Tiger HAD.

The Rolls-Royce Gem engine, the original powerplant of the Lynx family of helicopters, has now logged over three million flight hours, and - along with the Gnome engine which powers the AgustaWestland Sea King – is being extensively employed in the Middle-East in support of peacekeeping efforts there.

The Rolls-Royce Model 250 remains the engine of choice for light helicopters and continues to attract new customers and new applications, including Kamov's Ka-226 light twin helicopter, the Northrop Grumman MQ-8B Fire Scout vertical take-off UAV, and the Schweizer RU-38B. The Model 250 has been used in over 125 applications, and more than 29,000 engines have been delivered to date.