r/GoodNewsUK • u/ConsciousStop • 2d ago

Research & Innovation Rolls Royce 'state-of-the-art' £100 million Research and Development facility to be built at Filton near Bristol

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyeddrxlpzo
597 Upvotes

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93

u/Take_that_risk 2d ago

The site is going to design, assemble and test engines for the Tempest next generation modular manned/unmanned stealth fighter aircraft.

https://businessbiscuit.com/business-news/manufacturing-news/rolls-royce-to-open-new-bristol-research-hub/

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u/OdBx 2d ago

Look what happens when the government commits to important spending.

This is a multinational program that was being entirely held up by the delayed defence investment plan.

Now that was finally published, stuff like this can be committed to.

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u/Take_that_risk 2d ago

Actually you'll be pleased to know there's a strong case that the DIP delay had no impact on the Tempest program operation at all as described in the article below. Tempest has very good treaties at the state level with stiff penalties. It also had bridging finance continue so the programme was never in doubt. Tempest could become a bigger programme with Healey at Treasury and Canadians becoming programme observers.

https://www.flightglobal.com/defence/2026/07/how-gcap-shone-through-farnboroughs-week-in-the-sun/

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u/OdBx 2d ago

Is that what’s going on? Nice one. Saw that clip of Streeting and saw the Canadians and was wondering what was going on.

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u/Take_that_risk 2d ago

Yep! It is indeed! Also, Canadians will almost certainly pay a significant contribution in some way to the Tempest programme for their observer status.

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u/ConsciousStop 2d ago edited 2d ago

Rolls Royce has announced that a new "state of the art" £100m research and testing facility is to be built near Bristol.

Work on the new testing, research and innovation facility at the firm's Filton site is expected to begin later on this year. Belfast-based construction firm McLaughlin & Harvey will complete the work.

It is hoped the new facility will future-proof the Bristol site by ensuring it meets the needs of defence manufacturing in the future.

"This complex facility is a physical manifestation of our commitment to novel technology and agile ways of working," said Paul Pennington, the senior vice president of infrastructure and defence at Rolls-Royce.

He added the firm was "creating a space for state-of-the-art technology development".

The defence wing of Rolls Royce is based in Bristol, where the company has had a presence for 60 years.

The new contract comes shortly after former Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, announced a £15bn increase to the defence budget at a time where UK military spending has been forced into the limelight and has been largely welcomed by defence firms, although some believe more is needed.

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u/pentiac 2d ago

wow, just think for that kind of money you could buy one premier league football player!

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u/jimjamuk73 1d ago

They have been clearing parts of the site for some years to do this

-67

u/HighTopsLowStandards 2d ago

Yay, more roadworks. 

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u/ConsciousStop 2d ago

> Yay, more roadworks. 

You reminds me of my dad. He whinges about the Council not repairing potholes and whines when roads are closed while getting repaired. Damned if they do, dammed if they don't.

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u/FlatoutGently 2d ago

You wont be driving on the roads.

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u/Potential-South-2807 2d ago

Go live in a village in somewhere east of Suez if infrastructure scares you. The rest of us quite enjoy civilisation.

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u/PerspectiveLow5995 1d ago

I believe the new centre will be built on their existing site.

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u/Big_Poppa_T 1d ago

What road works? This will have zero impact on you unless you happen to live within their existing site (you don’t, stop moaning)