Paris Air Show Orders Reflect Strength of Rolls-Royce Portfolio

(June 18, 2009) -- Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, has secured $4.1 billion in new orders during the Paris Air Show, demonstrating the resilience created by its global reach, strong portfolio and continued investment in technology.

The Group's strategy of creating a family of engines, each tailored to a specific aircraft, has resulted in the most extensive portfolio of power systems in the aerospace industry. Rolls-Royce provides engines for more than 30 types of civil and 39 military aircraft.


These products are supported by TotalCare long-term service agreements, adapted to customers' needs. Using the company's deep expertise, a suite of engine support services is offered to minimise financial and operational risk and enable operators to concentrate on their core business. More than 80 per cent of all Trent engines in service have long-term service agreements in place.

Orders at le Bourget were received predominantly from customers in Asia and the Middle East, where Rolls-Royce has a rapidly expanding footprint.

The Trent XWB, which is the fastest selling Trent engine ever, continued its impressive record with an order from Air Asia X to power 10 firm and five option Airbus A350 XWB aircraft and provide TotalCare services.

The Trent 700, which has the best performance, lowest emissions and lowest fuel burn on the Airbus A330, also continued to win orders. Gulf Air ordered Trent 700EP (Enhanced Performance) engines for 20 A330s with TotalCare and renewed TotalCare on Trent 700s powering 10 A330s already in service. Air Asia X also ordered Trent 700EP engines for 10 A330 aircraft already on order.

The show saw Rolls-Royce secure the first contract, with Cathay Pacific, for its Trent 700 EP upgrade package. This will be undertaken as part of the airline's TotalCare programme. Incorporating technologies originally developed for the Trent 1000, the upgrade significantly reduces fuel burn and improves through-life performance, underscoring the competitive advantage Rolls-Royce gains by maintaining technological superiority.

Rolls-Royce has more than 1,500 Trent engines in service on more than 550 aircraft and a further 2,500 on order. Each of the six members of the Trent family has either been the first or launch engine on the airframe, or has gone on to take the leading market share.

International Aero Engines, in which Rolls-Royce is a senior partner, received orders for V2500 engines from Air China, Etihad and Qatar Airways with value to Rolls-Royce of around $650 million.

The Group's defence aerospace business announced a significant research contract with the UK Ministry of Defence. The ENTAPS (Engine Technologies for Aircraft Persistence and Survivability) project will mature key propulsion technologies such as distortion-tolerant fans and high temperature combustion and turbine systems. It will potentially bring major capability benefits for UK defence operations in the future, again reflecting the Group's emphasis on developing new technologies to improve customer performance.

Source : Rolls-Royce Plc (LSE: RR.L)