Aiken plant to make engines for military fighting vehicles

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A little bit of Aiken is ready for battle.

Rolls-Royce has delivered the first of its mtu 8V 199 PowerPacks to General Dynamics for the U.S. Army’s M10 Booker armored fighting vehicle program. Rolls-Royce’s Power Systems business will deliver up to 96 PowerPacks as part of the low-rate initial production phase, with additional PowerPacks expected as the program moves into serial production, according to a news release from Rolls-Royce Power Systems.

“The delivery of these first PowerPacks marks an important milestone for us, as it represents the first mtu serial production engine to power a U.S. Army land defense program. This is also the Army’s first new design tracked vehicle fielded in over four decades,” Scott Hanson said in the news release. Hanson is director defense for Rolls-Royce Solutions America, a subsidiary of Rolls-Royce Power Systems, which is headquartered in Friedrichshafen, Germany.

In March, Rolls-Royce announced that the Aiken plant would product generators for U.S. Navy ships. See related story.

Designed by General Dynamics Land Systems, the direct-fire combat vehicle melds recently developed and battle-tested designs to dominate ground threats on the multi-domain battlefield, the release stated. The M10 Booker vehicle employs a four-person crew and features an enhanced thermal viewer, a large-caliber cannon, a lightweight hull and turret, and is powered by the mtu 8V 199 PowerPack delivering 600 kilowatts, or 800 horsepower. It has been designed from the start for capability upgrades, based on future operational needs.

The mtu Series 199 is the best-selling armored fighting vehicle engine in its power class, according to Rolls-Royce. The six- and eight-cylinder engines are characterized by particularly high power combined with especially low weight and volume. The integrated PowerPack consists of engine, transmission, cooling system, air filtration, energy system, preheating equipment, power management, and vehicle integrated features. Compact, integrated, and flexible, the drive solution can be tailored to the respective vehicle and mission profile.

“We’re excited to assemble and test these Series 199 Powerpacks at our mtu manufacturing facility in Aiken, S.C.,” Hanson said in the release. “We’re proud of the role we play in equipping the U.S. Army with a best-in-class power solution and thrilled to continue our strong partnership with General Dynamics.” Low-rate initial production for the M10 Booker is expected to go through 2025 with serial production planned for 2026 pending the results of evaluations of the initial phase.

Rolls-Royce’s mtu Series 199 engines and PowerPacks power more than 2,500 light armored vehicles with several armed forces, the release said. Versions of this powerplant are in use various armored vehicles, among them the Spanish Pizarro, Austrian ULA+N, German Boxer and Polish OPAL vehicles. They are also set to power additional vehicles of NATO nations, such as the British Army’s Ajax and Boxer. In addition to Aiken, Rolls-Royce also produces mtu Series 199 engines at its Friedrichshafen and East Grinstead, United Kingdom, manufacturing facilities.