Rolls-Royce gives a vision of its future technologies

Rolls-Royce said at the Farnborough Air Show that technology acquisition for future generations of products over the next two decades is being co-ordinated under the Rolls-Royce 'Vision' programme.

Dr Mike Howse, Rolls-Royce Director - Engineering and Technology, described how the company is developing technologies over the next five, ten and 20 years within Vision5, Vision10 and Vision20 timescales.

Vision5 includes technologies that exist 'off-the-shelf' and can be applied immediately to new and existing products. Vision10 describes a range of technologies currently at the validation stage and likely to be commercially available in around ten years time. Within Vision10 is a collection of demonstration programmes that are progressively validating technologies aimed at the next generation of aerospace products.

Vision20 comprises a broad range of emerging or unproven technologies aimed at a future generation of products around the 20-year timeframe and beyond. These are presently at the strategic research stage but are specifically targeted to global requirements and industry trends and developments as they evolve through the company's extensive research base, including collaborative programmes with industry and academic organisations.

Dr Howse said: "Our Vision20 targets are very much in parallel with the broader ACARE (the Advisory Council for Aeronautical Research in Europe) initiative, launched last year, in which companies fundamentally involved in aerospace, such as Rolls-Royce, are playing a key part.

"Among its prime goals, ACARE is aiming to minimise the environmental impact of aviation on the community: it is looking to halve the current perceived average noise levels, reduce CO2 by 50 per cent and NOx by 80 per cent against current levels.

Dr Howse described some of the Vision10 technology demonstration programmes in which Rolls-Royce is involved, including:

• ANTLE (Advanted Near-Term Low Emissions), a European Union programme led by Rolls-Royce and supported by the Department of Trade and Industry. ANTLE, which begins testing next year, will use a Trent 500 baseline demonstration vehicle to validate a range of technologies for commercial use from 2008.

• The Quiet Technology Demonstrator (QTD) programme, run with Boeing, is one of the most comprehensive test programmes ever undertaken to reduce engine noise. A Boeing 777, fitted with modified Trent 800 engines incorporating serrated nozzles and advanced acoustic linings, exceeded reduction targets during flight testing last year.

• SILENCE(R) is a technology demonstrator that is the third integration phase of the European aircraft noise reduction campaign. This programme, involving a wide range of partners including Airbus, Snecma and MTU, was launched April 2001 and will run until around 2005.

  He gave a glimpse of what features new technologies might endow in engines for next generation aircraft such as the Sonic Cruiser, and outlined the scope for reduced weight, improved fuel burn and greater reliability offered by 'more electric' concepts. These look to integrate and optimise an increasing number of engine and airframe systems through the use of More Electric technologies, and will involve close collaboration between aircraft and engine makers at an earlier stage of product development.

  Dr Howse also described the technology horizon in the defence sector, and indicated the near, medium and long-term strategy for acquiring technologies required by aircraft and engine makers for future defence products. As an example, he described the specialist contribution Rolls-Royce is making to the Joint Strike Fighter programme.

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