The Rolls-Royce AE 2100 is a turboprop family serving regional passenger aircraft, military transports and amphibious search-and-rescue aircraft. It entered service in 1994 and is manufactured, assembled and tested at Indianapolis. Rolls-Royce lists certified power up to 4,700 shaft horsepower for the family.[1]
Aircraft installations
The AE 2100D3 powers the Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules and LM-100J, while the D2 serves the C-27J Spartan. The AE 2100J equips ShinMaywa's US-2 amphibian. The family also powered the Saab 2000 regional airliner. These installations range from twin-engined transports to larger four-engined aircraft and combine commercial operations with military airlift and maritime rescue.[1][2]
Propeller system
The AE 2100 is coupled to a six-bladed Dowty propeller in the applications described by Rolls-Royce's 2007 programme account. The installation uses shaft power to turn a propeller, making it the propeller-driven branch of an AE engine family that also includes turbofan and turboshaft designs. The manufacturer's emphasis on common parts and modular construction reflects the shared engineering basis across these different propulsion arrangements.[2][1]
Maintenance approach
Accessible components and modular construction are intended to simplify maintenance work and reduce costs. The engine has an extensive military transport application, where scheduled servicing must support demanding operational use. Rolls-Royce groups the AE 2100 with the earlier T56 in its Indianapolis manufacturing and support activity, although the engines power different generations of Hercules aircraft.[1]
Hydrogen ground experiment
A converted AE 2100-A became a research engine for Rolls-Royce and easyJet's hydrogen programme. In November 2022, it ran on hydrogen at an outdoor test facility at Boscombe Down in Britain. The hydrogen came from renewable-energy production in the Orkney Islands. This was a ground demonstration using a modified engine, intended to investigate hydrogen combustion and prepare further testing; it did not convert the operational AE 2100 fleet to hydrogen fuel.[3]