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Rolls-Royce Company Wins Astute Contract

4 October 2000

Rolls-Royce Company Wins Astute Contract

    LONDON, Oct. 4 Michell Bearings, part of Rolls-Royce plc,
has won a contract to supply propulsion equipment for the UK Royal Navy's
Astute class of submarine.
    The contract, from Astute's main contractor BAE Systems, is for the design
and supply of main propulsion thrust blocks and thrust shafts for three
submarines in the class.
    The order extends Rolls-Royce involvement with the programme as the
company has already been contracted to supply pressurised water reactors (PWR)
and turbo-generators for the same vessels which will be named ASTUTE, AMBUSH
and ARTFUL.
    Delivery of the equipment from Michell Bearings, which is based in
Newcastle upon Tyne, England, is expected in March 2001 for the first vessel
with the other two sets in 2002 and 2004.  The contract is worth approximately
900,000 pounds sterling ("pounds").
    Michell Bearings Sales and Marketing Director, Neal Henderson, said:  "We
have developed a strong track record for the supply of submarine equipment and
it is particularly pleasing that we are extending the overall Rolls-Royce
participation in the Astute programme."
    Michell Bearings has previously supplied similar equipment every nuclear
powered submarine built in the UK including Vanguard, Trafalgar and Swiftsure
class submarines which also have Rolls-Royce PWRs.  In a further Astute
contract Rolls-Royce was also chosen to design, build and supply three sets of
turbo-generators.
    The Astute class submarines will replace the five Swiftsure submarines,
which were launched between 1973 and 1977 and are approaching the end of their
operational life.  The initial order is for three with an option for an extra
two.  The submarines will be built at BAE SYSTEMS' yard in Barrow in the
United Kingdom.
    Michell Bearings became part of Rolls-Royce last year following the
takeover of its then parent group Vickers by Rolls-Royce.