Rolls-Royce will deliver continued support for the RB199 turbofan engines that power the UK Royal Air Force's Panavia Tornados until 2025 under a new deal worth £690 million ($1.05 billion).

Continuing an availability-based service that began in December 2005, the expanded RB199 operational contract for engine transformation deal will also cover the development of health monitoring techniques to boost the RAF's long-term operations with the Tornado GR4. The service's last Tornado F3 fighters will be retired soon.

R-R personnel now deliver support services for the RB199 at RAF Marham in Norfolk and at Leuchars and Lossiemouth in Scotland. In partnership with service personnel, its employees also provide support for a detachment of GR4s being flown by Marham-based 9 Sqn from Kandahar airfield in Afghanistan.

 Tornado GR4s Kandahar - Ian Daniels/Crown Copyrigh
© Ian Daniels/Crown Copyright

The UK Ministry of Defence early this year also awarded R-R a 10-year contract worth £865 million to support the Eurojet EJ200 turbofans that power its Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft.

Source: Flight International