Rolls-Royce has completed a $1 bn, decade-long investment in its manufacturing, assembly, and engine testing facilities in Indianapolis and West Lafayette, Indiana, expanding its capabilities for production and testing of military and commercial aircraft engines.
The investment includes upgrades to advanced manufacturing facilities at the Indianapolis campus, new ground test facilities and an altitude test facility in West Lafayette. The expanded infrastructure provides Rolls-Royce with full engine-test capability in Indiana.
The facilities support engine programmes for platforms including the Boeing B-52, Lockheed Martin C-130J, Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey, US Navy MQ-25A Stingray and the US Army’s MV-75 Cheyenne.
“This billion-dollar investment is about more than buildings and test cells — it is about delivering for the American warfighter, on time and at the standard our customers expect. We made this investment because it was the right thing to do for US national security and for the future of Rolls-Royce,” said Adam Riddle, President, Defense, and CEO, Rolls-Royce North America.
The Indianapolis site currently builds and tests more Rolls-Royce defense products than any other company location worldwide. The upgraded facilities are intended to support engine production, assembly, testing, and future development requirements across multiple defense programmes.
The company employs approximately 3,500 people at its Indianapolis operations, including a UAW-represented workforce, and supports additional employment through its regional supply chain.
Indiana Governor Mike Braun said the investment demonstrates continued support for advanced manufacturing and the state’s aerospace and defense workforce.
“The billion-dollar investment is a vote of confidence in Hoosier workers and our state. Advanced manufacturing like this is exactly what keeps Indiana’s economy strong and growing,” Braun said.
The investment forms part of Rolls-Royce’s broader US manufacturing and research activities. The company said it has invested more than $1.5 bn in US facilities and nearly $2.5 bn in research and development over the past decade.
The Indianapolis campus also houses LibertyWorks, Rolls-Royce’s advanced research organisation, which works on high-temperature materials and propulsion technologies. Its activities include a $75 million, 10-year research alliance with Purdue University.
The upgraded Indiana facilities are expected to support current and future engine programmes, including propulsion systems for the B-52 and MV-75, while continuing production and support activities for engines used on the C-130J, V-22 and MQ-25A.
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“ The engines built in Indianapolis power the aircraft our warfighters depend on, and this investment strengthens the American defense industrial base at a moment when we need it most,” said Indiana Senator Jim Banks.
The investment also increases Rolls-Royce’s engine testing capacity, providing infrastructure for development and validation of propulsion systems under different operating conditions, including altitude testing.
