Prof. Dr. Gerrit Bauer
- Department Kavli Institute of Nanoscience
- Section Theoretical Physics
T: +31 (0)15 27 84719
E: G.E.W.Bauer@tudelft.nl
Room F.310
Lorentzweg 1
2628 CJ Delft
Personal website
TUD IDEA League
A case study within the defence aero-engine market
The GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team develops the alternate engine for the F-35 Lightning II JSF fighter aircraft. Their engine, the F136, is one of the two engines the defence aerospace customers buying the F-35 can select. Hence the GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team has an ongoing marketing and sales campaign in the nations that are partnered in the JSF program. In order for Rolls-Royce to understand what they need to focus on in these various nations the need information on what the defence customer (the Ministry of Defence) values in an engine acquisition and how to use that information. Next to the question what the defence aerospace customer values there is also the ongoing pursuit of Rolls-Royce to become more aligned or integrated with their defence customers just as they have been doing with their civil aerospace customers. Therefore the main research topic is:
What does the defence customer value and how can that be used to make Rolls-Royce and the defence aerospace customer more aligned?
Within this research a set of factors is developed that help determine on a concise basis what the defence aerospace customer values and how those factors are related to one another. With these factors representatives from the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Air Force are interviewed in two nations willing to participate in this research. It is found that for one nation, which already is integrated with Rolls-Royce, the primary focus was cost and cost reduction. For the other nation the primary focus is developing and being a leader in sustainment activities. By letting Rolls-Royce help this nation set up their sustainment activities, the two will become more aligned and can create a win-win value creation collaborative partnership.