Rolls-Royce has completed a $1 billion expansion of its jet engine manufacturing campus in Indianapolis, Indiana, where the company builds more Rolls-Royce defense engines than at any other site in the world.
The expansion follows a $2.6 billion Air Force contract the company won in September 2021 to manufacture more than 600 F130 engines for the Air Force’s B-52 bomber fleet. Rolls-Royce built the engines in Indianapolis throughout the renovations, upgrades and new construction on the campus.
“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,” Adam Riddle, president of defense and CEO of Rolls-Royce North America, said in a statement. “We made this investment because it was the right thing to do for U.S. national security and for the future of Rolls-Royce.”
The new construction includes test cells and control rooms that will be used to test gas turbine engines manufactured on site. More than 3,500 people work at the Indianapolis facility, including union-backed workers.
Re-engining the B-52 fleet
The Air Force currently operates 76 B-52H bombers, 58 of them on active duty and 18 in reserve. At eight engines per aircraft, that adds up to 608 engines needed for the fleet alone, before accounting for spares.
The Air Force had considered replacing the B-52’s eight turbojet engines with four larger turbofan engines, but ultimately decided to keep the eight-engine configuration to avoid extensive aerodynamic changes to the aircraft. The Rolls-Royce F130 engine, built in Indianapolis, was selected for the re-engining program.
The first lot of operational B-52s fitted with the new engines is expected to be delivered by the end of 2028, with the entire fleet modified by 2035. The upgraded aircraft will be designated the B-52J.
The re-engined bombers are intended to remain in service until 2050. The B-52 first entered active Air Force service in 1955, meaning the airframe will have flown for nearly a century by the time it is finally retired.
What it means locally
Rolls-Royce is already a major employer in the Indianapolis area, and the completed expansion is expected to bring additional hiring to the site as production ramps up to meet the Air Force contract.
Add comment