The MoD and Rolls-Royce have signed a contract worth almost £350 million to support the EJ200 engines on the Typhoon.

The £346.7 million contract, signed with Rolls-Royce, will provide maintenance support for the EJ200 engine up to 2024.

Already this year, Typhoon jets have led the fight against Daesh in Iraq and Syria as part of Operation Shader and undertaken Baltic Air Policing mission with NATO partners, with further NATO policing missions planned in Iceland later this year according to the Royal Air Force in a news release.

Minister for Defence Procurement Anne-Marie Trevelyan said:

“Not only will this contract help to maintain our world-class jets, it secures 175 jobs across the UK and boosts the skills base our world-leading defence industry relies upon.Together with our multi-million-pound upgrade programme, this contract will ensure our Typhoon fleet continues to dominate the skies in the decades to come.”

Approximately 175 Rolls-Royce jobs in Bristol, RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire and RAF Lossiemouth in Moray will be supported as part of the contract, say the firm.

Rolls-Royce will repair and maintain the Typhoon engines as required by the RAF over the five-year period. They will also be responsible for the provision of modules, spares and accessories to support the aircraft fleet, including the transportation of the equipment between RAF bases and the Rolls Royce manufacturing facility in Bristol.

Air Marshal Julian Young, Chief of Materiel (Air), Defence Equipment & Support, said:

“Typhoon is a formidable, battle-winning aircraft and the backbone of UK Combat Airpower. This new deal on EJ200 engine is demonstrable evidence that we remain committed to working with our industrial partners to drive down support costs and at the same time pursue excellence and deliver great equipment to the Front Line.”