Rolls-Royce unveils radical new approach to gas turbine development with Orpheus demonstrator at Farnborough International Air Show

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Rolls-Royce unveils radical new approach to gas turbine development with Orpheus demonstrator at Farnborough International Air Show

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Monday 18 July 2022 10:00 AM

Rolls-Royce unveils radical new approach to gas turbine development with Orpheus demonstrator at Farnborough International Air Show

Rolls-Royce Defence business has designed, built, and run an innovative small engine concept in under 18 months - a truly transformational project that will change how products and technologies are developed for the UK’s Future Combat Air Strategy (FCAS).

Known as Orpheus, the first demonstrator engine concept, on display at Farnborough International Air Show (FIAS), has been developed using a completely agile approach – built nearly twice as fast as a conventional engine programme, with the second demonstrator within the family, already on test in Bristol, UK.

Pioneered by a team of highly skilled engineers, manufacturers, and programme managers, the Orpheus project has allowed for trial and collaboration across the business, combining proven methods of engineering with innovative digital technologies.

The pace of innovation shown by British industry continues to push new boundaries and the Orpheus engine is yet another example of that.

To maintain a strategic advantage over our adversaries we must continually adapt the way we approach new capabilities. The Future Combat Air System will deliver the capability to fight and win in the most hostile air environments.

Defence Minister, Jeremy Quin

The new Orpheus engine has broken boundaries throughout all stages of the development, design and build and is a clear example of how we can deliver at pace. Throughout this project we have empowered our people to work in agile ways to disrupt our current ways of thinking and develop a product that is truly novel that can help our customers de-risk their future programmes and explore different technologies to enhance their military capability.

EVP Business Development and Future Programmes Alex Zino, for Rolls-Royce Defence

Throughout the programme, Rolls-Royce has tapped into more than 30 UK-based small and medium size businesses, working on techniques such as Additive Layer Manufacturing to ensure Orpheus is adaptable and scalable for multi applicability and combines both electrical power generation and propulsive power.

Orpheus will shift the paradigm away from using off the shelf sub-systems for prototype vehicles, to being able to rapidly develop bespoke power solutions that can be quickly deployed.

For more information visit our Orpheus web page here.

About Rolls-Royce Holdings plc

Rolls-Royce pioneers the power that matters to connect, power and protect society. We have pledged to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions in our operations by 2030 (excluding product testing) and joined the UN Race to Zero campaign in 2020, affirming our ambition to play a fundamental role in enabling the sectors in which we operate achieve net zero carbon by 2050.
Rolls-Royce has customers in more than 150 countries, comprising more than 400 airlines and leasing customers, 160 armed forces and navies, and more than 5,000 power and nuclear customers.
Annual underlying revenue was £10.95 billion in 2021, underlying operating profit was £414m and we invested £1.18 billion on research and development. We also support a global network of 28 University Technology Centres, which position Rolls-Royce engineers at the forefront of scientific research.
Rolls-Royce Holdings plc is publicly traded company (LSE: RR., ADR: RYCEY, LEI: 213800EC7997ZBLZJH69)