Pearl 15

Overview

The Rolls-Royce Pearl 15 is the latest-generation turbofan engine from Rolls-Royce's business aviation Pearl family, developed specifically to power the Bombardier Global 5500 and 6500 ultra-long-range business jets. Producing 15,385 lbf (68.4 kN) of thrust, the Pearl 15 achieves approximately 5% better fuel efficiency than the BR710 engines it replaces through a combination of advanced aerodynamics, new materials, and a refined combustion system. The Pearl name was chosen by Rolls-Royce to distinguish its next-generation business aviation engines from the legacy BR700 family while maintaining continuity of the company's commitment to this market segment.

The Pearl 15 incorporates technologies derived from Rolls-Royce's Advance2 and UltraFan research programs, scaled for the business jet thrust class. Key improvements over the BR710 include a new wide-chord fan with advanced aerofoil sections for improved propulsive efficiency, a refined core with higher pressure ratio (32:1 versus 28:1 for the BR710), improved turbine cooling, and a next-generation FADEC system with enhanced diagnostics. The engine also features reduced noise signatures that contribute to the exceptionally quiet cabin environment that defines the Global 5500 and 6500 in comparison with their competitors.

The Pearl 15 represents Rolls-Royce's commitment to maintaining technological leadership in business aviation beyond the BR700 era, with the Pearl family planned to serve Bombardier's Global aircraft for the foreseeable future as Gulfstream continues its partnership with BR725-derivative engines.

Technical Specifications

Variants

The Pearl family currently comprises two production variants. The Pearl 15 (15,385 lbf) powers the Global 5500 and 6500, replacing the BR710 in Bombardier's mid-to-large cabin Global lineup. The Pearl 700 (18,250 lbf) is the higher-thrust variant developed for the Bombardier Global 7500, though it lost the Global 7500 exclusive engine competition to the GE Passport. Rolls-Royce subsequently refined the Pearl 700 for potential future applications. Both Pearl variants share the advanced fan technology and combustor design introduced in the family, with the 700 featuring a larger fan diameter and uprated core. Rolls-Royce has indicated continued investment in the Pearl family with further product improvement programs planned for future Global aircraft variants.

Aircraft Applications

The Pearl 15 is the exclusive powerplant for the Bombardier Global 5500, a super-large business jet offering a range of 5,900 nautical miles for 9 passengers, and the Bombardier Global 6500, which extends range to 6,600 nautical miles while maintaining a full cabin with four dedicated zones. Both aircraft entered service in 2019 and have been well received by the large-cabin business jet market. The Global 5500 and 6500 replaced the earlier Global 5000 and 6000 (powered by BR710 engines), with buyers typically citing the improved fuel efficiency and noise reduction of the Pearl 15 as key differentiators in upgrade decisions. Bombardier has delivered several hundred Pearl 15-powered aircraft since entry into service.

Development History

Rolls-Royce launched the Pearl family development program in the mid-2010s, following Bombardier's announcement that it would update its Global 5000 and 6000 aircraft with new engines and airframe improvements. Rolls-Royce committed to developing new engines for the program rather than simply re-certifying the BR710, recognizing the opportunity to leverage advances in materials and aerodynamics since the BR710's 1990s design. The Pearl 15 first ran in 2017 at Rolls-Royce's Derby, UK test facility. EASA and FAA certification was achieved in 2018–2019 concurrently with the Bombardier Global 5500/6500 type certification. Entry into service occurred in 2019. Rolls-Royce's Derby engineering team applied lessons from the Trent XWB development program — including advanced turbine disk alloys and swept-fan aerodynamics — to the Pearl design, achieving the efficiency improvements that differentiate it from the preceding BR710 generation.