Rolls-Royce has been awarded a five-year support contract with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) for the maintenance and service of the EJ200 engine that powers the Royal Air Force’s Typhoon aircraft. The Typhoon Engine Support Solution (TESS) will see Rolls-Royce continue to provide maintenance and repair to 130 EJ200 engines, supporting approximately 200 direct jobs in the process.
The TESS contract will build resilience through the UK-based supply chain supporting up to 2,400 jobs around the UK that are essential to harnessing the UK’s combat air expertise. TESS will sustain vital skills to enable the Royal Air Force to deliver air capabilities today and bridge to future capabilities like the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP).
Defence Secretary John Healey MP said: “Not only will this contract help to maintain our world-class jets, it also delivers on our Plan for Change by securing around 200 jobs in the UK and boosting the skills base our world-leading defence industry relies upon. Together with our upgrade programme, this contract will ensure our Typhoon fleet remains the backbone of UK air defence for the next decade.”
Adam Riddle, president of Defence at Rolls-Royce said: “This contract builds on more 100 years of Rolls-Royce partnership and trust with the MoD. The Typhoon Engine Support Solution represents a continuation of our support of the EJ200 engine and we are glad for the ongoing confidence in our team and capabilities. This investment enables us and our supply chain to ensure the Royal Air Force can execute its missions effectively, wherever and whenever it is needed, in an increasingly complex global environment.”
Dual-use capabilitiesMost of the work under the TESS contract will take place at Rolls-Royce UK Defence’s headquarters in Bristol. The site is home to the research, development and manufacture of the UK’s military power and propulsion for the next generation of aircraft. 80% of the technologies developed for future combat programmes such as GCAP can be used in civil applications, demonstrating how defence investment can deliver dual-use capabilities that drive the UK’s competitiveness in defence and other sectors. The five-year contract has been awarded by Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), the procurement arm of the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
Lyndon Hoyle, Typhoon Delivery Team head at DE&S, said: “This contract not only ensures the continued availability of the Typhoon fleet, it helps drives growth and prosperity within UK Defence, reinforcing our dedication to procuring capability that equips our armed forces with competitive edge now and in the future.”
Rolls-Royce remains focused in delivering for armed forces globally, developing the right technologies and capabilities to meet the demands of the future and ensuring development of the right skills and the company is proud to serve as a strategic partner to the UK’s Armed Forces, and 160 customers across 100 countries around the world, providing the power to protect across air, land and sea.
Rolls-Royce’s significant global presence and influence in strategic sectors like defence and civil aerospace and nuclear means consistent support to the UK, building stronger and deeper strategic relationships with our allies. Global trade across aerospace, defence and power generation businesses makes Rolls-Royce one of the UK’s largest single exporters by volume and value, exporting around 80% of what it produces in the UK, accounting for 2% of all UK goods exports.