Rolls-Royce Looks To Boost Engine Manufacturing in India

AINONLINE

by  NEELAM MATHEWS

March 12, 2014, 1:53 PM

Rolls-Royce is looking to expand its engine component manufacturing activities in India, possibly adding new product lines and increasing the size of the facilities at its International Aerospace Manufacturing Pvt Ltd (IAMPL) operation in Bangalore, which already makes parts for the Trent 700 turbofan. One option being considered is to begin licensed production of components for the AE 2100D3 military turbofan.

IAMPL is a joint venture between Rolls-Royce and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL), and the two partners are considering whether to increase the size of the existing 77,500-sq-ft facility or relocate to a new site in the same Bangalore aerospace park. The company currently ships more than 130 different engine compressor parts to Rolls-Royce’s main aero engines factory in Derby, UK.

Meanwhile, Rolls-Royce is to supply the M250-B17F/2 turboprop engines for the 10-passenger GA10 aircraft being developed by GippsAero, a wholly owned subsidiary of India’s Mahindra Aerospace. “That segment [light utility aircraft] boomed in 2010 but now has been slow,” said Kishore Jayaraman, Rolls-Royce’s president for India and South Asia. “We have products there and want to focus on it. We expect it will start picking up speed in 2015 to 2016.”

On the commercial aviation front, Jayaraman sees immense potential for the proposed new lower weight variant of the Airbus A330-300 widebody optimized for use on domestic and regional routes in high-growth markets with large populations and concentrated traffic flows such as India and China. “These will bring in economies of scale and I see a future for the aircraft. I do not see Indian carriers buying A380s, though,” he told AIN. The new version of the A330 would feature de-rated versions of its available engine options, including the Trent 700.

South Asia continues to be an emerging market for aero engines. Last year, Rolls-Royce won an $800 million order from SriLankan Airlines for Trent XWB engines to power four A350-900s and Trent 700 engines to power six A330-300s. The contract includes long-term service support.

Rolls-Royce also has expressed interest in a proposed project by HAL and India’s National Aeronautics Ltd to develop a new regional airliner. Last December,  HAL’s Bangalore-based Aero Engine Research & Design Center released a request for information asking engine makers to provide technical and cost details of a fuel-efficient integrated propulsion system for the new twin-engine aircraft.