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Rolls-Royce [UK] |
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World ranking: 17 What it makes Rolls-Royce is the world's second largest military aero engine manufacturer, powering approximately 25 per cent of the world's military aircraft. Less well known is the fact that it is also a major producer of marine propulsion systems. It has equipment installed on 2,200 warships and powers all of the UK's nuclear submarines. In 1999 Rolls-Royce purchased Vickers for its marine propulsion systems. However it was keen to offload the non-core armoured vehicle and tank elements of the business and in September 2002 sold Vickers Defence Systems to Alvis. Rolls-Royce's results for 2002 show a substantial shift towards the military market. Engine deliveries for civil aerospace fell by 37 per cent over the year while military engine deliveries increased by 32 per cent. The trend seems set to continue with Rolls-Royce anticipating steady growth in the military market, not least because of 'increasing regional tensions in many parts of the world.'2 Exports Rolls-Royce does not just sell its engines to prime contractors such as BAE Systems, Boeing and Lockheed Martin and leave it there; an important part of its service is the support given 'right up to the front line to the 100 armed forces and 30 navies who use our engines to power their aircraft, helicopters, ships and submarines.'3 Some of the more famous aircraft to carry Rolls-Royce engines include the Jaguar, Harrier, Tornado and Eurofighter combat aircraft, and Apache and Tiger attack helicopters. All BAE Systems Hawk jets use Rolls-Royce Adour engines. Hawks have been sold around the world including to Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, UAE and Kuwait in the Middle East, Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia and South Korea in Asia, and South Africa, Kenya and Zimbabwe in Africa.
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