Rolls-Royce expands Jet Engine Test Facility at NASA John C. Stennis Space Center in Mississippi

HANCOCK COUNTY, Miss., 29 Oct. 2013. Rolls-Royce North America has opened its second outdoor jet engine test stand, a $50 million investment, at Rolls-Royce Outdoor Jet Engine Test Facility at NASA John C. Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, Miss.

The new jet engine test stand will play a key role in the company’s development of next-generation technology for improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions. The site conducts jet engine testing--including noise, crosswind, endurance, and other tests–on the latest and most sophisticated Rolls-Royce civil aircraft engines, including the Trent 1000 that powers the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and the Trent XWB that powers the Airbus A350 XWB.

“Rolls-Royce is investing in America because our collective innovation, competitiveness and cooperative spirit–and we find the State of Mississippi is the perfect location to expand our operations,” says James M. Guyette, President and CEO of Rolls-Royce North America.

Rolls-Royce has a broad customer base comprising more than 300 airlines, 4,000 corporate and utility aircraft and helicopter operators, 160 armed forces, more than 4,000 marine customers, including 70 navies, and energy customers in more than 80 countries.

Rolls-Royce employs over 45,000 people in offices, manufacturing and service facilities in over 50 countries. Over 14,000 of these employees are engineers.

Rolls-Royce supports a global network of 28 University Technology Centres, which connect the company’s engineers with the forefront of scientific research.

In Mississippi, Rolls-Royce operates from three primary locations with over 150 employees: The Rolls-Royce Outdoor Jet Engine Testing facility at the NASA John C. Stennis Space Center; Rolls-Royce Marine Propeller and Waterjet Foundry in Pascagoula; and, a defense regional field office at the Naval Air Station in Meridian, Mississippi.