Rolls-Royce to power V-22 Osprey aircraft in $222 million contract modification

Rolls-Royce today announced a contract modification of $221.7 million with the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to provide AE 1107C-Liberty engines and services for the U.S. Marine Corps’ MV-22 and the U.S. Air Force’s CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft.

The modification includes 96 engines for delivery in 2010 as well as, Power-By-The-Hour®, for maintenance support. Most of the services work is performed at Marine Corps Air Station New River in North Carolina; Naval Air Station in Patuxent River, Maryland; Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico; Hurlburt Field in Florida, with additional work at Indianapolis, Indiana and Amarillo, Texas. Rolls-Royce produces the AE 1107C-Liberty engines at its manufacturing facility in Indianapolis.

Dennis Jarvi, President Defense North America for Rolls-Royce, said: “We are pleased that Rolls-Royce continues to partner with our customer to ensure the success of the V-22 Osprey Program. The AE1107C-Liberty engine was designed to provide maximum maneuverability and performance to the aircraft it powers. To date, it has accumulated more than 75,000 flight hours on the V-22 aircraft, many in harsh environment conditions.”

In 2007, Rolls-Royce was awarded a $700 million production contract with NAVAIR which included engines for aircraft installs plus spares, for deliveries through 2013.

The V-22 tiltrotor aircraft, known as the Osprey, takes off like a helicopter and flies like an airplane. Powered by twin Rolls-Royce AE 1107C Liberty engines, V-22s fly at twice the speed, with three times the payload and up to five times the range, of conventional helicopters. The U.S. government approved full-rate production for the aircraft in September 2005.