The U.S. Dept. of Defense extended $54.7 million to Rolls-Royce Corp. as a modification to an earlier award, to produce and supply 12 turboshaft engines and ancillary parts, plus installation kits for the LCAC 100 landing craft. In February of this year, Rolls-Royce earned a $167.4-million assignment to build 40 MT7 turboshaft engines, which are the power units for the U.S. Navy’s Ship-to-Shore Connector air-cushioned landing craft.
The new contract modification covers the MT7 production activity at the Rolls-Royce operation in Indianapolis, with work to be completed by June 2029.
Rolls-Royce Corp. is the largest U.S. engineering, design, and manufacturing site for Rolls-Royce Holdings plc, producing gas turbine engines for commercial and military aircraft, and supporting various Rolls-Royce business units.
The USN deploys the LCAC 100 hovercraft for rapid deployments, logistical support, and vehicle transfer. In November 2024 the Navy assigned a new contract worth $394.2 million to Textron Inc. for nine LCAC 100 vessels.
Each hovercraft is powered by four Rolls-Royce MT7 marine gas turbofan engines, each engine capable of delivering 6,000 HP, with top speeds of 58 mph (50 kn; 93 km/h.) According to the manufacturer, the MT7 gas turbine is a compact design with a core architecture in common with the aero engine powering the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. It provides high-power density, fuel efficiency, and performance retention – which equates to flexibility for the hovercraft designers and builders in regard to propulsion system layout.
