Rolls-Royce signs strategic agreement to boost digital engineering

Rolls-Royce Submarines has signed a memorandum of understanding with a global technology company to collaborate on digital optimisation and boost efficiency across engineering.

Signed at the recent Defence & Security Equipment International event in London, the MOU with Siemens encourages shared and mutual collaboration, with the ultimate aim to minimise time to production for new Rolls-Royce technology, while reducing cost and risk within an increasingly complex engineering, manufacturing and operational environment.

Rolls-Royce Submarines currently employs more than 5,000 people and designs, manufactures and provides in-service support to the pressurised water reactors that power every boat in the Royal Navy’s submarine fleet.

Lee Warren, Rolls-Royce Submarines engineering and technology director, said: “Harnessing the power of digital, and collaborating with global experts such as Siemens, will make us more efficient and ultimately provide an enhanced service to the Royal Navy by getting submarines in the sea quicker and accelerating the maintenance of those already in service.”

Rolls-Royce is currently supporting the existing Astute and Dreadnought boat build programmes through the delivery of reactor plant and associated components.

It also provides frontline support across the world for reactor plant equipment from its operations centre in Derby and supports the submarines when in the Barrow-in-Furness shipyard and the naval bases at Devonport and Faslane.

In addition, there are technical specialists working in offices in Glasgow and Cardiff, with a unique test facility operating in Thurso, Scotland.

Rolls-Royce said the collaboration with Siemens will support the firm in delivering UK sovereign defence requirements more effectively, enabling a more knowledgeable, productive, secure and agile operation.

Adam Raine, Rolls-Royce Submarines IT and digital director, said: “This collaboration will further enhance our capabilities in the digital space and unlock key improvements in how we deliver on our commitments.

“We can, in essence, create a ‘digital backbone’ that supports the full lifecycle of nuclear naval reactors.”