Ardour Engines Power Red Arrows Aircraft

Rolls-Royce has agreed a new £79 million (approx. $113 million) contract with the UK Ministry of Defence to provide support for the Adour engines which power Hawk jet trainer aircraft, including those flown by the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team - the Red Arrows.

The five-year MissionCare contract provides availability-based support for the two variants of Adour engine in service in the UK. The Mk951 powers the BAE Systems Hawk TMk2 Advanced Jet Trainer, the key platform in the Fast jet Pilot stream within the UK Military Flying Training System (MFTS). Hawk TMk1 aircraft, operating in a variety of training roles with the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, are powered by the Adour Mk151 variant.

Under the terms of the contract Rolls-Royce will provide support to all main operating bases through its Field Service Representatives based out of RAF Valley, while repair and overhaul activities will be carried out at the Rolls-Royce facilities in Bristol and Inchinnan.

Chris Cholerton, Rolls-Royce, President – Defence, said: “This MissionCare contract will enable us to maximise the number of engines available to power training missions, driving higher levels of customer capability. The solution was developed in a partnered approach between Rolls-Royce and the UK Ministry of Defence, ensuring that we meet the operational needs of the training fleet while providing value for money for the UK.”

The Adour engine has been developed by the joint venture company Rolls-Royce Turbomeca in which Rolls-Royce is a 50 per cent partner.

(Image provided with Rolls-Royce news release)

FMI: www.rolls-royce.com