The Department of Defense announced a staggering 51 new contracts Monday, the most contracts it's awarded on any single day, at any time this year. In total, these contracts are worth more than $2.14 billion. The biggest contract of all went not to a U.S. defense contractor, but to one from Britain.
In fact, Britain's Rolls-Royce (RYCEY -2.22%) won two contracts yesterday. But it was the first one that was truly huge. Valued at up to $406 million, it will have Rolls performing engine supply support on Allison T-56 engines under a contract that runs through Sept. 30, 2019. Used primarily to power Lockheed Martin C-130 transport aircraft, T-56 engines are found in the militaries of many nations around the globe. This particular contract will have Rolls doing work for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force, as well as for the air forces of Poland, Jordan, and the Philippines.
As for Rolls' smaller contract, this one, too, concerns a variant of Allison's old T56 model -- specifically, the T56-A-427 used to power the U.S. Navy's E-2 Advanced Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft. Under a $17 million contract, Rolls will repair 20 power sections, 10 torque meters, and 20 gearboxes, and accessories at Navy engine depots through September 2014.
