Rolls-Royce

AE 2100

Turboprop In Production

Technical Specifications

Dry Weight
760 kg
Length
2.310 m
First Run
1991
In Service
1996

Rolls-Royce AE 2100

The AE 2100 is a high-power turboprop engine developed by Allison Engine Company (now Rolls-Royce) and rated at 4,591 shaft horsepower (SHP). It entered service in 1996 in two distinct roles: the AE 2100A for the Saab 2000 high-speed regional airliner and the AE 2100D3 for the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules military transport — giving it a rare combination of commercial and heavy military credentials.

技術仕様

パラメータ
軸出力4,591 SHP
乾燥重量760 kg (1,675 lb)
全長2.310 m (90.94 in)
初回運転1991
就航年1996
状態生産中

設計と技術

The AE 2100 is notable for incorporating a Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC) system — relatively unusual for turboprops at the time of its introduction. FADEC continuously optimizes fuel flow, propeller pitch, and engine parameters throughout the flight envelope, reducing pilot workload and improving efficiency compared to mechanical fuel control systems.

On the C-130J, the AE 2100D3 is paired with a Dowty R391 6-bladed composite propeller, one of the most advanced propellers of its era. The six-blade configuration, combined with the engine's higher power output versus the T56 it replaced, delivers dramatically improved climb performance, cruise speed, and fuel economy for the Hercules — all of which were central to the "J" upgrade program's value proposition for military operators.

搭載機

The Saab 2000 application (AE 2100A) aimed to bring near-jet cruise speeds to the turboprop market. The Saab 2000 could cruise at up to 682 km/h (424 mph), faster than many regional jets of the period, thanks in large part to the AE 2100's high power output. While the Saab 2000 achieved limited commercial success against the turboprop-to-jet transition of the late 1990s, it demonstrated the AE 2100's performance ceiling.

The C-130J Super Hercules application has proven far more enduring. The C-130J has sold to over 20 air forces worldwide and remains in full production, making the AE 2100D3 one of the few turboprops still entering new military service in the 2020s. The engine's reliability in combat and austere-environment operations has reinforced Rolls-Royce's position in the military transport segment.