The US Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded a contract to Rolls-Royce to provide logistics support for the AE 1107C-Liberty engines, which power the US Marine Corps’ MV-22 Osprey aircraft.
Under the $598m contract, Rolls-Royce will supply 70 AE 1107C engines valued at $151m in the first year along with spare engines for USMC.
The AE 1107C-Liberty is a new-generation 6,000shp class turboshaft engine developed as the T406 for the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor transport.
The engine features six rows of variable compressor vanes, dual FADEC, a self-contained oil system, while providing vertical operation, modular construction, and an on-condition maintenance capability for the aircraft.
The Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey is a multi-mission aircraft that features both vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) and short take-off and landing (STOL) capabilities.
Powered by twin Rolls-Royce AE 1107C-Liberty engines, the aircraft is designed to combine the functionality of a conventional helicopter with the long-range, high-speed cruise performance of a turboprop aircraft.
The aircraft can support naval missions including combat search and rescue, fleet logistics support, special warfare support, amphibious assault, ship-to-objective manoeuvres and sustained operations ashore.
To date, Rolls-Royce has delivered 550 AE 1107C engines, which has amassed over 260,000 engine flight hours to the US DoD.
The contract also includes supply of the AE1107C turbo shaft engines for the US Air Force (USAF) and the deliveries of the total 268 engines are expected to take place within the additional four option years.
Image: USMC parachutists jump from a MV-22 Osprey at 10,000ft above the drop zone. Photo: Vernon Pugh.
