Advancing UK Aerospace, Defence, Security & Space Solutions Worldwide
  • Home
  • /
  • Defence
  • /
  • Rolls-Royce delivers final RB199 under ROCET 2 contract

Defence Events

Rolls-Royce delivers final RB199 under ROCET 2 contract

Rolls-Royce has delivered the final RB199 engine serviced at its Bristol facility under its ROCET 2 support contract with the UK MoD.

Above: MRO work on the RB199 engine pulse-line at Bristol.

Under the terms of the contract engines for the Royal Air Force fleet of Tornado combat aircraft have undergone repair and overhaul at the site before being returned to operational service at RAF Marham. The Tornado fleet is due to retire from service in 2019 and Rolls-Royce engineers will continue to provide on-base support until that time, while also increasing support capability for the new F-35B Lightning squadrons at the base.

Advertisement
ODU RT

The delivery milestone was marked at a ceremony in Bristol attended by senior MOD representatives, including Sir Simon Bollom, Chief Executive of Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), and Air Commodore David Bradshaw, Commander of the RAF’s new F-35B Lightning Force.

Rolls-Royce has supported the fleet since December 2005 under the RB199 Operational Contract for Engine Transformation (ROCET), providing a guaranteed level of availability for engines, spares and ground support equipment. The agreement also included additional support elements, such as the development of engine health monitoring techniques designed to improve operational capability. 

In 2011, in-depth servicing and maintenance of RB199 engines was moved from RAF Marham to the Rolls-Royce facility in Bristol – just months before a significant increase in support requirements as the result of the Tornado’s participation in Operation Ellamy in Libya. During that deployment flying hours increased by 50% but the teams in Bristol stepped up engine output to maintain 100% availability.

Above: The Rolls-Royce team at the final engine delivery event

Advertisement
Marshall RT

Commenting on the milestone delivery Sir Simon Bollom, one of the architects of the original ROCET contract, said: “The ROCET contract has been truly pioneering in its nature and is an absolute exemplar of partnered support delivered to the front line.”

Air Commodore David Bradshaw said: “The reliability of the RB199 has enabled millions of hours of virtually continuous operations allowing us to take the fight to the enemy.”

Paul Craig, Rolls-Royce Director of Services – Defence, said: “There has always been a huge amount of pride in the RB199 in Bristol – many of the people that have worked tirelessly to support the engine in service actually worked on the assembly and test of those same engines earlier in their career.

“We have pioneered many of our service innovations on the RB199 programme and look forward to continuing to partner with the RAF as we apply those cutting edge technologies to the next generation of combat aircraft.”

In total over 600 RB199 engines were repaired or overhauled on the Bristol ‘pulse line’. In an incredible piece of symmetry, the final engine to be delivered - serial number 6832 – was exactly the same one as first rolled off the line in 2011.
 

Advertisement
General Atomics LB
Survitec secures contract with Babcock for Type-31 Frigate survival technology

Defence

Survitec secures contract with Babcock for Type-31 Frigate survival technology

27 March 2024

Survitec has been awarded a significant contract to supply its Survival Technology to five Type 31 Frigates being built by Babcock for the Royal Navy.

Leonardo secures presence at Bahrain International Airshow

Aerospace Defence Events

Leonardo secures presence at Bahrain International Airshow

26 March 2024

Italian aerospace, defence and security firm, Leonardo has secured its presence at the Bahrain International Airshow for the seventh year.

C3IA Solutions strengthens commitment to British Armed Forces

Defence Security

C3IA Solutions strengthens commitment to British Armed Forces

26 March 2024

Dorset cyber security company C3IA Solutions has re-signed the Armed Forces Covenant in a ceremony at Blandford Camp.

Teledyne FLIR Awarded by Northrop Grumman for Supplier Excellence

Defence

Teledyne FLIR Awarded by Northrop Grumman for Supplier Excellence

25 March 2024

Northrop Grumman Corporation has recognised Teledyne FLIR, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated, during the company’s Supplier Excellence Awards.

Advertisement
ODU RT 2
RTX

Defence

RTX's Raytheon LTAMDS detects and engages complex target

25 March 2024

The Raytheon Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) has continued to advance through its US Army test programme with another successful live-fire event.

MBDA

Defence

MBDA's EPIC proposed for EC funding

25 March 2024

As MBDA continues to ramp-up its production, the production ramp-up for ENFORCER missiles – ENFORCER Production Increase Campaign (EPIC) – has been proposed for funding within the European Commission’s ASAP programme.

Advertisement
ODU RT 2