T56 3.5 Enhancement

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20 October 2015

The US Air Force will begin updating its C-130 transport fleet with our T56 Series 3.5 engine upgrade after awarding a $36 million contract.

20 October 2015

The US Air Force will begin updating its C-130 transport fleet with our T56 Series 3.5 engine upgrade after awarding a $36 million contract.

Series 3.5 kit deliveries will begin in December 2015 and introduce the engine improvements into USAF and US Air National Guard C-130s.

The Series 3.5 upgrade, allows T56 engines to operate at greatly reduced temperatures, extending parts life and improving reliability by 22 percent. The upgrades also provide improved “hot and high” performance. The Series 3.5 package can be installed on T56 engines on either C-130 or P-3 legacy aircraft.

The T56 Series 3.5 engine enhancement package has already completed all requirements for US Air Force qualification on the C-130 and received FAA certification for the commercial version of the T56 engine. The US Air Force has estimated that incorporating the engine enhancement into its C-130 fleet would save $2 Billion, while extending the life of the fleet for decades.

01 December 2016

The first U.S. Air Force C-130H aircraft to be fully equipped with the Rolls-Royce T56 Series 3.5 engine upgrade has completed its first flight, demonstrating significant improvement in fuel efficiency, lower operating temperatures and improved high-altitude performance.

Preliminary flight data showed fuel efficiency improved by approximately 12 percent and turbine temperatures were more than 100 degrees Celsius lower. Reduced turbine temperatures increase parts life and lower operating costs significantly. The C-130H aircraft flown by the Wyoming Air National Guard (ANG) completed its first flight with four T56 Series 3.5 engines at the 153^rd Airlift Wing at Cheyenne, WY, Regional Airport.

Phil Burkholder, Rolls-Royce, President Defense North America, said: “We congratulate the US Air Force and the Wyoming Air National Guard for achieving this significant milestone – first flight of a C-130H aircraft equipped with the Rolls-Royce T56 Series 3.5 engine upgrade. Rolls-Royce developed the upgrade to enhance mission capability – and by achieving fuel efficiency improvements and lower operating temperatures, the Series 3.5 upgrade delivers as promised.”

15 June 2015

The first aircraft to be fully equipped with the Rolls-Royce T56 Series 3.5 engine enhancement package has completed its first flight, demonstrating significantly improved fuel efficiency.

The WP-3D aircraft of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) completed its first flight with four Series 3.5 engines on June 3 at MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, US.

The Series 3.5 engine enhancement specifications provide for 7.9 percent reduction in fuel use, although preliminary results from the NOAA flight demonstrated more than 12 percent improvement. The NOAA flight tests also showed significantly lower turbine temperatures, improved high-altitude performance and included much faster engine starts.

The enhancement package allows T56 engines to operate at greatly reduced temperatures, extending parts life and improving reliability by 22 percent. The Series 3.5 package can be installed on T56 engines on either P-3 or C-130 legacy aircraft.

Phil Burkholder, Rolls-Royce President - Defense North America, said, “The improved fuel economy and enhanced performance demonstrate the value from the Series 3.5 package – operators will benefit from lower operating costs and improved reliability.”

Industry leading

The engine will deliver:

Up to 10% fuel savings and 25% reliability improvement
Enhanced hot-day and high-altitude performance
Improved capability, versatility and availability for C-130 and P-3 aircraft fleet
Greater than 10 percent aircraft range improvement - or can carry three times heavier payload for current aircraft range
Easy installation during routine overhaul - no changes to aircraft or controls
Upgrade costs offset by typical overhaul savings, if done at the same time and average a 5 year payback

With the T56 3.5 engine, you can expect:

Increased fuel efficiency
TIT lowered ~70°C
Increased operational flexibility
Improved hot-day and high altitude performance
Up to 9.7% SFC improvement and increased turbine life by 22 per cent
Range, payload, fuel load Improved overall aircraft efficiency and improved aircraft survivability

Innovative technology

Innovative technology will bring significant savings for C-130 and P-3 aircraft fleets globally. This is estimated to save at least $20 million over two decades for typical four aircraft C-130 Hercules fleets.

The T56 Series 3.5 Engine Upgrade, using proven technology and materials from other Rolls-Royce engines, will improve fuel efficiency, reduce maintenance costs, increase reliability and enhance performance.

Flight testing was completed by the United States Air Force in October 2012. The USAF finalized C-130H Series 3.5 Certification in July 2015 and approved the Series 3.5 Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) in August 2015.

$20

Million estimated savings

10%

Estimated fuel expense savings

25%

Reliability improvements

Aftermarket Support and Services

Pioneering next-generation, digitally enabled solutions

We continue to be at the forefront of developing and providing comprehensive service packages for managing engines throughout their life-cycle.

Services Portfolio

Developing & providing service packages to enable mission success.

Services Portfolio

Rolls-Royce has always been at the forefront of developing and providing comprehensive services for managing engines throughout their life-cycle.

We are able to combine knowledge inherent to the designer, with the data generated from engines in operation and supply chain network to deliver services which create value for our customers.

The Services Portfolio offers access to many of the core capabilities Rolls-Royce has developed supporting customer fleets around the world. The portfolio encompasses a variety of capabilities offering service solutions to match every operational need. The service offerings range from Foundation Technical Support, covering technical assistance requirements through to Operational Data Analysis, enabling decision making informed by comprehensive data management solutions.

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MissionCare®

Remove uncertainty of fleet availability by transferring risk & cost to us.

MissionCare®

MissionCare® provides a comprehensive support service combining the capabilities and expertise of Rolls-Royce:

Acting as original equipment manufacturer to maximise your engine availability
24/7 technical support
Specialised fleet data analysis and local, regional & global support networks are utilised to provide unparalleled support services.

For a fixed cost per flying hour, MissionCare removes the uncertainties of fleet availability by transferring the risk and cost of engine management and reliability to Rolls-Royce

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Engine Repair Management

We manage, overhaul and repair your engine and line replaceable units (LRUs).

Engine Repair Management

Under an ERM support contract:

We manage your engine and line replaceable units (LRUs) overhaul and repair, acting as your single point of contact. Using our extensive overhaul and repair experience, we will coordinate the complete repair process. We ensure that all overhaul and repair activities are completed to Rolls-Royce quality standards, efficiently and cost effectively.
We coordinate shipping logistics to and from our maintenance facility, providing work scope, optimising configuration and reliability, whilst managing turn-time performance and maintenance facility quality.

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Customer Training

Our training programmes bring deeper understanding of our products, their operation and maintenance which will enhance your team's skills. Our range of courses cover areas like general engine familiarisation, inspection techniques and other disciplines. We can work together to identify your training needs and develop a bespoke training package, to be delivered at our site or your location. You will develop deeper understanding of our products, enabling you to enhance safety, reliability and efficiency.