JV to supply A400M Engine

Rolls-Royce PLC
1 December 2000

              
TP400 SELECTED TO POWER A400M TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT

Rolls-Royce announced today that Airbus Military Company (AMC) has selected
the TP400 engine to power the planned A400M European transport aircraft. The
three-shaft turboprop engine will be jointly developed and manufactured by the
six participating companies of FiatAvio (Italy); ITP (Spain); MTU Aero Engines
(Germany); Rolls-Royce (UK and Germany); Snecma Moteurs (France) and Techspace
Aero (Belgium).

The TP400 is a turboprop engine with a range of power between 10,000 and
13,000 shaft horse power.  It is a three shaft engine concept built around the
M88 core engine which takes advantage of the recognised know-how of
Rolls-Royce three shaft engine technology.  It also incorporates state of the
art technologies from the other partners.

The provisional workshare percentages under the TP400 programme will be 24.8
per cent each for Rolls-Royce, Snecma and MTU, 13.6 per cent for ITP, 8 per
cent for FiatAvio and 4 per cent for Techspace Aero. Assignment of the major
engine components and roles has also been agreed by the partners.

Rolls-Royce will be responsible for the low-pressure compressor and overall
integration, Snecma for the high-pressure compressor and high-pressure
turbine, MTU for the intermediate-pressure and low-pressure turbines and final
assembly, ITP for the engine casings and dressings, FiatAvio for the propeller
gearbox and Techspace Aero for the accessories.  

A joint venture company, with headquarters in Munich, Germany will be set up
to manage the programme and to act as a single point of contact for customers.
The participating companies will staff the management company in accordance
with their percentage participation in the programme. The TP400 management
company will be one of the major partners of AMC. 

The European nations participating in the A400M plan to purchase 225 of the
four-engined transport aircraft which translates into an engine requirement of
around 1,000 turboprops.

The six participating companies are delighted that AMC has chosen the TP400
engine thereby demonstrating the trust it puts in the capabilities and
competitiveness of the European aero engine industry. It also testifies to the
co-operative skills of the major European engine builders, as previously seen
in several other joint programmes.




For further information please contact

Chris Springham
Head of Corporate Media Relations
Rolls-Royce plc
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Martin Brodie
Head of Media Relations
Rolls-Royce plc
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