Rolls-Royce has marked the completion of a $1 billion, decade-long investment in its Indiana manufacturing, assembly, and test facilities- reinforcing the company’s position as a cornerstone of America’s defence industrial base and one of the state’s leading advanced-manufacturing employers.
Adam Riddle, President, Defense, and CEO, Rolls-Royce North America, said: “This billion-dollar investment is about more than buildings and test cells — it is about delivering for the American warfighter, on time and at the standard our customers expect. We made this investment because it was the right thing to do for US national security and for the future of Rolls-Royce.”
The investment — the largest the company has made in the United States — modernised advanced manufacturing across the Indianapolis campus and added full engine-test capability, including new ground test facilities, and an altitude test facility in West Lafayette. More Rolls-Royce defense products are built in Indianapolis than anywhere else in the world.
Indiana Governor Mike Braun, said: “Rolls-Royce has called Indiana home for three decades, and this billion-dollar investment is a vote of confidence in Hoosier workers and our state. Advanced manufacturing like this is exactly what keeps Indiana’s economy strong and growing. We are proud that Indiana is home to Rolls-Royce in the US, and we look forward to their continued success for generations to come.”
The campus tests and builds engines for a range of defence and commercial platforms, including future engines for the US Air Force B-52 strategic bomber and the US Army’s MV-75 Cheyenne, as well as current engines for the V-22 Osprey, the U.S. Navy’s MQ-25A Stingray and the C-130J.
Rolls-Royce employs approximately 3,500 people in Indianapolis, including a skilled UAW workforce, and supports thousands more jobs through its Indiana supply chain.
Indiana Senator Jim Banks, said: “The engines built in Indianapolis power the aircraft our warfighters depend on, and this investment strengthens the American defense industrial base at a moment when we need it most. Rolls-Royce is proving that we can manufacture the most advanced military technology in the world right here in Indiana. I am proud to support the men and women of this workforce and the vital role Indiana plays in keeping our nation secure.”
Across the United States, Rolls-Royce has invested more than $1.5 billion in its facilities and nearly $2.5 billion in research and development over the past decade. In 2024 the company’s American operations contributed $6.2 billion to the national economy and, including R&D spillover, supported more than 30,000 jobs across 26 states. Every dollar the US government invests in Rolls-Royce returns an estimated four dollars to the U.S. economy.
The Indianapolis campus is also home to LibertyWorks, the company’s advanced-research organization, which has worked at the forefront of high-temperature materials and propulsion for decades, anchored by a $75 million, 10-year alliance with Purdue University.