Rolls-Royce awarded VAATE contract

INDIANAPOLIS, Jan. 27 (UPI) -- The U.S. Air Force has contracted Rolls-Royce to continue development of Versatile Affordable Advanced Turbine Engines.

Rolls-Royce says its Indianapolis-based research arm LibertyWorks was awarded the contract from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. Under the phase II and III deal, worth $185 million if all options are exercised, LibertyWorks will continue to develop the VAATE propulsion engine technology for the Air Force.

The VAATE program is an initiative from the Department of Defense, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Department of Energy to increase the turbine engine's higher altitude and endurance capabilities.

"The envisioned technologies aim to provide significant capability improvements to military propulsion systems, and it is exciting to be working with the Air Force Research Laboratory to help turn that vision into a reality," Phil Burkholder, LibertyWorks chief operating officer, said in a statement.