Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, has received a contract for $315 Million from Pratt & Whitney to supply the Rolls-Royce LiftSystem® for 17 F-35B Lightning II aircraft.

Rolls-Royce is the only company in the world to produce the advanced technology that enables F-35B aircraft to perform Short Take Off and Vertical Landings (STOVL), and that provides increased mission flexibility.

Neil Mehta, Rolls-Royce LiftSystem Programme Director said, "Rolls-Royce continues to focus on increasing efficiency as we provide this vital capability to the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter programme. We anticipate continuous cost improvements as production volumes ramp up to meet the needs of the F-35 programme."

The LiftSystem comprises a Rolls-Royce LiftFan®, Roll Posts and a 3-Bearing Swivel Module. Rolls-Royce is a subcontractor to Pratt & Whitney, which manufactures the F135 engine for the F-35 Lightning II programme. Under the contract, Rolls-Royce will produce 17 LiftSystems for the fourth lot of Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) through 2012, with a further order for the fifth lot expected later in the year. To date, Rolls-Royce has delivered 32 LiftSystems, plus spare parts.

In 2011, the LiftSystem proved successful in the first ship-borne landings on the USS Wasp, as well as completing 268 vertical landings overall. The first three production F-35B aircraft were delivered to Eglin Air Force Base in the US in January to begin training.