Rolls-Royce invests £300m to expand UK aerospace and defence capacity

Rolls-Royce has committed £300 million to UK manufacturing and engineering facilities to increase capacity, strengthen support for defence programmes and prepare its sites for future aerospace demand.

Announced on 28 September, the programme covers Derby, Bristol, Inchinnan, Rotherham and Ansty. It combines new engineering facilities and machinery with increased maintenance, repair and overhaul capability, with major projects scheduled for completion between 2028 and 2031.

The investment will support the company’s Civil Aerospace and Defence businesses and the UK suppliers that provide their components, engineering expertise and services.

Rolls-Royce chief executive Tufan Erginbilgic said the programme was “a clear statement of our intent”, supporting highly skilled employment both within the company and across its supply chain.

Derby investment supports Trent engine growth

More than £140 million will be invested in Derby, the home of Rolls-Royce’s Civil Aerospace operations, with new engineering and manufacturing services facilities intended to support growth and improve employees’ working environment.

Investment in aftermarket support will also increase capacity and operational efficiency. The works are expected to be completed in 2028.

Derby is the UK hub for the design, engineering, programme management and advanced manufacturing of Rolls-Royce’s Trent large commercial aircraft engines. It also houses engine testing and precision casting capabilities, as well as the final stages of the Trent production supply chain.

The upgrades are intended to improve delivery of existing programmes while providing infrastructure for future growth.

Bristol upgrades strengthen defence propulsion and MRO

At Bristol, Rolls-Royce will invest more than £90 million in a facility upgrade programme covering operational delivery, digital security and increased maintenance, repair and overhaul capability.

The project, due for completion in 2031, will provide new collaborative workspaces and improved IT infrastructure for a site employing more than 3,500 people.

Bristol supports several major defence programmes, including the EJ200 engine powering Eurofighter Typhoon, the MT30 marine gas turbine and the next-generation Global Combat Air Programme.

Rolls-Royce said modernisation would equip its engineering teams with the tools and working environment needed to support those programmes. The investment comes as the company marks 60 years in Bristol following its acquisition of Bristol Siddeley Engines in 1966.

Rotherham turbine blade output to double

The programme also includes machinery and manufacturing upgrades at three further locations.

The Rotherham investment at Rolls-Royce’s Advanced Blade Casting Facility will receive a further £2 million from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.

Advanced turbine blades are critical jet engine components, making the planned increase in output a significant element of the wider capacity programme.

Multi-year investment backs UK suppliers

Rolls-Royce says the programme will provide greater stability for hundreds of domestic engineering partners, component manufacturers and small and medium-sized businesses.

The company spent more than £2.8 billion with UK-based suppliers in 2025, with the vast majority going to businesses outside London and the South East.

It has also invested more than £3 billion in the UK since the start of its transformation programme in 2023, covering research and development, engineering programmes, facilities and infrastructure.

The latest announcement supports existing employment and future growth, although Rolls-Royce has not specified a figure for new jobs. Its clearest commitments are to additional industrial capability: more turbine blades, expanded aftermarket support and upgraded facilities serving civil aerospace and sovereign defence requirements.