Boeing has selected Rolls-Royce to manufacture an engine technology to power four unmanned aerial refueling vehicles the Chicago-based company will build for the U.S. Navy.
Rolls-Royce said Thurday it will provide AE 3007N engines designed to generate more than 10K pounds of thrust and provide additional electrical power to the service branch’s future MQ-25 Stingray tanker drones.
Jarrett Jones, executive vice president of customer business, government relations and sales at Rolls-Royce, said the project will help the company expand its experience supporting unmanned aircraft platforms in the Navy fleet.
Boeing will equip MQ-25 refuelers with AE 3007N engines under a potential six-year, $805.3M engineering and manufacturing development contract awarded last month.
Rolls-Royce produces its engines at a manufacturing facility in Indianapolis.