Rolls-Royce wins Trent XWB-97 engine order from STARLUX Airlines

Rolls-Royce signed an agreement with STARLUX Airlines for 10 Trent XWB-97 engines to power five Airbus A350F aircraft, firming up the options it made at the Singapore Airshow in February 2024. This brings STARLUX Airlines freighter fleet to a total of ten and will make them one of the largest purchasers of the A350F.

Ewen McDonald, Chief Customer Officer, Rolls-Royce – Civil Aerospace, commented: "It’s been a pleasure collaborating with STARLUX Airlines and we’re delighted that they have opted for an additional five Trent XWB-97 powered Airbus A350F. We thank STARLUX Airlines for its continued confidence in the power of our Trent engines. The engine will benefit from the £1bn investment we’re making to the Trent engine family that improves their durability and efficiency across all operations. We are proud to continue supporting the expansion of STARLUX Airlines and look forward to supporting these new aircraft as they enter into service.”

Glenn Chai, CEO, STARLUX Airlines, stated: "STARLUX Airlines has continuously nurtured the cargo market since its inception, capitalizing on the strategic advantages offered by Taiwan’s geographical location. This acquisition of five more A350F freighters not only prepares us for the rapidly growing demand in the cargo market but also reflects our optimism about the potential of the international cargo market. The A350F is the most fuel-efficient freighter in the industry, meeting customer requirements to reduce carbon emissions and is in line with STARLUX’s ESG plan to achieve zero emissions by 2050.”

The Trent XWB-97 has proven its reliability and durability over six years of service and more than three million engine flying hours. As versatile as it is reliable, the Trent XWB has already shown it is equally efficient at powering short-haul or long-haul flights, which makes it the ideal solution for passenger and freighter operators with a varied network. As the world’s most efficient large aero engine in service, the Trent XWB will also help fast track STARLUX’s sustainability journey.

Rolls-Royce is investing more than £1bn in a programme that will deliver further improvements to the Trent engine family. For the Trent XWB-97, it’s receiving a series of technology packages that will improve durability across all operations as well as doubling time on wing on the harshest of missions. The engine is certified to operate on a 50% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) blend today and has been proven to be compatible with 100% SAF for the future.