Rolls-Royce to open plant in Bordeaux

British engine maker Rolls-Royce plans to establish an industrial support facility in Bordeaux, according to comments made to French publication La Tribune.

The site will be built in Bordeaux Aéroparc. Located north of Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport (BOD), this industrial park regroups major aerospace manufacturers including ArianeGroup, Thales, and Dassault Aviation.

And it is because of the presence of the latter that Rolls-Royce plans to settle in Bordeaux.

“To prepare for the production of the future Rolls-Royce Pearl 10X engine, we are working on the implementation of a support infrastructure at the Dassault production line,” Rolls Royce told La Tribune.

The British manufacturer produces the Pearl 10X engine for the upcoming Dassault Falcon 10X. A team of technicians working closely with Dassault Falcon Service will oversee the preparation of the engines before they are affixed to the airframes.

AeroTime reached out to Dassault Aviation and Rolls-Royce for comment.

After the cancellation of the Falcon 5X over the shortcomings of the Safran Silvercrest engine, Dassault Aviation chose to put its trust in Rolls-Royce. In May 2021, it unveiled the Falcon 10X, the largest business jet of the French manufacturer to date.

Still under development, the aircraft will be powered by two tailor-made Pearl engines, delivering more than 18,000 pounds of thrust. The engine will be the largest and most powerful version of the Pearl business engine series.