Rolls-Royce starts engines tests for U.S. FLRAA prototypes

Rolls-Royce has begun engine testing for the AE 1107F, the propulsion system selected to power prototypes of the U.S. Army’s MV-75 Future Long Range Assault Aircraft, the company stated.

Each aircraft will use two AE 1107F engines, an updated member of the AE family that has powered U.S. military platforms for decades. Rolls-Royce says the new variant offers improved power density, digital controls designed to meet cyber-security requirements and survivability features tailored for contested environments, according to the company.

Candice Bineyard, Director of U.S. Business Development & Future Programs for Rolls-Royce Defense, framed the test campaign as a key transition point. “We continue working closely with the U.S. Army and our industry partners to deliver an ultra-modern propulsion solution with proven, low-risk AE 1107F engines and a fully integrated system design. Engine testing represents the next critical milestone in bringing this revolutionary capability to our service members.”

Testing is taking place at the firm’s Indianapolis campus, its largest U.S. site. Rolls-Royce says it has invested over $1 billion during the past decade in upgrades and digital tooling to support Department of Defense programmes, including the MV-75 prototypes currently in development.

The AE 1107F is derived from a common-core architecture shared across the AE engine family, which the company argues reduces development risk and speeds production through 80 percent component commonality. Rolls-Royce reports more than 90 million flight hours across 16 platforms for the wider AE line and points to existing sustainment infrastructure as a benefit for future MV-75 operations, according to the company.

Earlier AE 1107 variants power the V-22 Osprey fleet across the Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force, while the MT7 maritime version supports the Navy’s Ship to Shore Connector. The Army has designated the MV-75 FLRAA effort as a top modernisation priority, though the aircraft must still move through prototype evaluation before any decision on production.