DERBY aero engine-maker Rolls-Royce has secured an order worth just more than £1 billion from the parent company of British Airways.
The order, which has been placed by International Airlines Group, is for Trent XWB engines to power a fleet of 18 Airbus A350-1000 aircraft.
IAG also has an option to buy engines for a further 18 Airbus XWBs – which would bring the total number to 36 aircraft.
The deal includes a TotalCare agreement, which will see Rolls-Royce look after the engines throughout their service life.
The Trent XWB (extra wide body), which was designed and developed in Derby, is yet to go into production.
In February last year, the engine took to the skies for the first time on a "flying test bed" on the wing of an Airbus A380. And, in February this year, the Trent XWB was awarded European Aviation Safety Agency certification, clearing the way for it to start powering aircraft next year.
The Trent XWB has been specifically designed for the Airbus A350 – and Rolls-Royce, which has its civil aerospace division at Sinfin, is the sole engine supplier for the aircraft.
The A350-1000 aircraft, which is what IAG has ordered, is powered exclusively by the higher-thrust version of the Trent XWB.
IAG chief executive Willie Walsh said: "The A350-1000 will bring many benefits to our fleet. Its size and range will be an excellent fit for our existing network and, with lower unit costs, there is an opportunity to operate a new range of destinations profitably.
"This will not only bring greater flexibility to our network but also more choice for our customers."
Despite not yet going into production, the Trent XWB is Rolls-Royce's fastest-selling Trent engine. So far, the company has sold more than 1,200.
Mark King, Rolls-Royce's president of aerospace, said: "The Trent XWB has already proven itself in test flights to be the most efficient large aero engine flying today.
"The engine is demonstrating outstanding operational and environmental performance in its development programme.
"We are delighted IAG have chosen our higher-thrust version of the Trent XWB, which builds on that success."
The announcement follows recent confirmation by IAG that Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines will power 18 Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft – joining 24 that are already on order.
British Airways already operates the Rolls-Royce-powered Boeing 747, 757, 767 and 777, and the Trent 900-powered A380 is due to enter service later this year.
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