Rolls-Royce has completed a decade-long $1 billion investment programme in Indiana, expanding manufacturing, assembly and engine-test facilities supporting US military aircraft including the B-52, C-130J, V-22 and MQ-25A, according to the company.
Rolls-Royce announced completion of the programme on 27 August, describing it as the largest investment the company has made in the United States.
The work has modernised manufacturing facilities across the company’s Indianapolis campus and added full engine-test capability. It also includes new ground-test facilities and an altitude-test facility at West Lafayette. Rolls-Royce said more of its defence products are now built in Indianapolis than at any other company site worldwide.
Adam Riddle, President of Defence and Chief Executive Officer of Rolls-Royce North America, said in the company release: “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. 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 Indianapolis site builds and tests engines for a range of current and future US military aircraft. Rolls-Royce identified future propulsion work for the US Air Force’s B-52 strategic bomber and the US Army’s MV-75 Cheyenne among the programmes supported by the campus.
Current production also supports the V-22 Osprey, Lockheed Martin C-130J and the US Navy’s MQ-25A Stingray uncrewed carrier-based tanker. The investment therefore spans both established fleets and aircraft currently entering or preparing for future service, with the Indiana facilities covering manufacturing as well as assembly and testing.
Rolls-Royce employs approximately 3,500 people in Indianapolis, including a unionised manufacturing workforce, and says its operations support additional employment through suppliers elsewhere in Indiana. Indiana Governor Mike Braun said in the release: “Rolls-Royce has called Indiana home for three decades, and this billion-dollar investment is a vote of confidence in Hoosier workers and our state.”
He added: “Advanced manufacturing like this is exactly what keeps Indiana’s economy strong and growing. We are proud that Indiana is home to Rolls-Royce in the U.S., and we look forward to their continued success for generations to come.”
The company has also invested elsewhere in its American industrial base. According to Rolls-Royce, expenditure over the past decade amounts to more than $1.5 billion across US facilities and almost $2.5 billion in research and development.
The Indianapolis campus is also home to LibertyWorks, Rolls-Royce’s advanced research organisation. Its work includes propulsion technologies and high-temperature materials, supported in part through a $75 million, ten-year research alliance with Purdue University.
US Senator Todd Young said: “This investment is a testament to the hard-working Hoosiers who power this facility. Rolls-Royce understands the importance of producing advanced military technologies here in the United States, and this billion-dollar investment shows that Indiana is leading the way in meeting the needs of our defense industrial base.”
I think there are some on here will scream about why RR are spending so much money in the US rather than here in UK or Europe !
Well it’s simply because it’s the only sensible way to do business in the US and particularly in their Defence sector. And unlike a lot of companies that are now scurrying around to establish business over their due to Trump, RR played a blinder 30 odd years ago and got into an established company.
They bought the old Allison Engine company from GM as it was pretty well on its last legs and then started to invest in it to get it up to date and profitable. Its now pretty well the go to in USA for turbo props, business jet engines and some helicopter engines. It means that RR had a foothold in the US for starting to build RR MTU and Marine GTs there as well !
It’s worked well overall as RR MT30s and RR MTU engines are in USN warships, MTU engines in US Army Vehicles and USAF Aeroengines in business jets, helicopters and shortly in the mighty B52.
It’s pretty ironic because for those who know Engineering History will remember that the mighty P51 Mustang started life as a total clunker called the A-36 powered by an Allison engine and was rescued by fitting a RR Merlin into it and then mass produced by Packard.
Best bit is RR and BAe are both U.K. Stock exchange listed companies, pay their taxes here and due to the Golden Share they can’t be taken over or forced to relist their shares elsewhere.
Yes as much as it may grate on occasion seeing such investment making it ‘the largest military engine plant amongst its worldwide sites’, it’s a necessary and rewarding investment especially as civil engines are a very competive and financially testing arena while this, turbo props, helicopters and especially business and small jet engines gives it a very powerful and safer income.
Is RR as limited in its US investments by it being cut off from its UK headquarters as Bae is? Would seem to be more important for Bae to be able to cross feed technology. Obviously the German subsidiaries are getting plenty of business in the US helping its German sites and research contribute here, the Pearl engines being a good example and MTU of course. The Germans have definitely benefited by the tie up.