GKN Aerospace and Rolls-Royce extend USD multi million agreement on Trent XWB

GKN Aerospace and Rolls-Royce have agreed an extension to their risk and revenue sharing partnership (RRSP) on the Trent XWB-84 engine, the world’s most efficient large aero engine. TheUSD multi-million, life of the programme agreement extends the design and supply of a lower weight, higher performance intermediate compressor case (ICC) for the enhanced performance Trent XWB-84 engine. GKN Aerospace has employed the very latest design methodologies and state of the art fabrication technologies, including additive manufacturing processes and new welding techniques, to create this ICC.

GKN Aerospace’s engine systems business in Sweden has been the supplier of the ICC for the TrentXWB-84 engine, through the existing RRSP, since the programme commenced. First deliveries to Rolls-Royce of the ICC for the enhanced performance Trent XWB-84 engine are scheduled for early 2018. This engine will power the A350-900 family, entering into service in early 2020.

Joakim Andersson, General Manager Trollhattan, comments: “The strength and longevity of our partnership with Rolls-Royce, supporting their Trent engine family, is evidence of our sustained ability to create complex structures using highly skilled processes”.

This RRSP extension continues a long established relationship with Rolls-Royce that sees GKNAerospace providing a variety of complex structures in exotic metals for Trent engines. For the TrentXWB-84 the company also has contracts to supply the engine’s thrust struts, compressor blisks and inner core fairings. Across the Trent family, the company supplies: the ICC and other structures for both the Trent 500 and 900 engines; the tail bearing housing and high pressure/ intermediate pressure (HPIP) structures as well as the front and rear fan case, fan cowl doors and FADEC cover for the Trent 700; the HPIP structures for the Trent 1000 as well as this engine’s rear fan case and inner core fairings.