Memorandum submitted by Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce Supplementary EvidenceBootle
Supply Chain: We undertook to provide the Select Committee with
details of the numbers of suppliers that may be affected by the
Company's decision to close the Bootle facility. The Energy Business
in Liverpool spends approximately £58 million on external
procurement in the UK. Of this amount around £6 million reflects
expenditure with 37 suppliers local to the Liverpool region.
The Defence Advanced Research Projects
Agency (DARPA) manages and directs selected basic and applied
research and development projects for DoD, and pursues research
and technology where risk and payoff are both very high and where
success may provide dramatic advances for traditional military
roles and missions. We are involved indirectly on Blackswift,
where RR is a subcontractor to Lockheed Martin. Via AFRL (Air
Force Research Laboratories), DARPA is also funding the RR HiSTED
contract. Both of these programs are for High Mach propulsion.
DARPA sets out to mine fundamental discoveries—the Far side—and
accelerate their development and lower their risks until they
prove their promise and can be adopted by the US Armed Services.
DARPA's work is high-risk and high-payoff precisely because it
bridges the gap between fundamental discoveries and their military
use.
See attached paper for background.
ARPA-E (Advanced Research Projects Agency—Energy)
creates brand new energy technologies and strategies to ensure
that US global economic competitiveness is not compromised by
their energy needs in the coming decades. Key features are:
— Takes its inspiration from
DARPA (Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency).
— Independent of the US Department
of Energy.
— ARPA-E would be authorised
to award cash prizes to encourage and accelerate achievements.
— Full funding for five years
recognising importance and urgency 2008-12—total $4.9 billion.
— Not more than 50% in any year
shall be for late-stage demonstrations and commercial application
of technologies and research.
Hydrogen Fuel Initiative by the Department
of Energy: £1.2 billion programme announced by President
Bush in 2003 to reverse US growing dependence on foreign oil—currently
imports 55%, expected to grow to 68% by 2025.
— Government key role from 2004-09
to achieve technology readiness needed to allow industry to commercialise
by 2015.
— To develop commercially viable
H2 powered fuel cells and infrastructure technologies by 2020
to power cars, trucks, homes and businesses that produce no pollution
and no greenhouse gases.
— Renewable and nuclear-based
hydrogen production technologies, and coal with CCS—could
make carbon emissions-free future possible.
— Federal support to accelerate
development to overcome technical and cost barriers.
— Programme activities include
research, H2 production / delivery and storage, safety, standards,
validation and systems integration.
DEFENSE ADVANCED
RESEARCH PROJECTS
AGENCY (DARPA)
The Defense Advanced Research Projects
Agency (DARPA) is the central research and development organization
for the US Department of Defense (DoD). It manages and directs
selected basic and applied research and development projects for
DoD, and pursues research and technology where risk and payoff
are both very high and where success may provide dramatic advances
for traditional military roles and missions.
DARPA's original mission, inspired by the Soviet
Union beating the United States into space with Sputnik, was to
prevent technological surprise. Today, DARPA's mission is to prevent
technological surprise for the US and to create technological
surprise for its adversaries. Stealth is one example of how DARPA
created technological surprise.1
DARPA's strategy for accomplishing its
mission is embodied in strategic thrusts (nine at present) which
evolve over time as threats and opportunities change. DARPA's
main tactic for executing its strategy is constantly to search
worldwide for revolutionary high-payoff ideas and then sponsor
projects that bridge the gap between fundamental discoveries and
the provision of new military capabilities.1
DARPA's mission implies one imperative
for the Agency: radical innovation for national security. DARPA's
modus operandi is to bring in expert, entrepreneurial program
managers, empower them, protect them from red tape, and quickly
make decisions about starting, continuing, or stopping research
projects. To maintain an entrepreneurial atmosphere and the flow
of new ideas, DARPA hires these managers for only four to six
years. Since they are not at DARPA for a career, they are more
prepared to pursue high-risk technical ideas even if there is
a reasonable chance the idea will fail. Another element of DARPA's
strategy is to cultivate entrepreneurial performers in university
and industry by funding ideas that represent revolutionary technical
achievements.1
DARPA looks beyond today's known needs
and requirements. DARPA's approach is to imagine what capabilities
a future military commander might need and accelerate those capabilities
into being through technology demonstrations.1
DARPA's mission, shown in Figure 3, is
to find the people and ideas on the "Far side", and
accelerate those ideas to the "Near side" as quickly
as possible. DARPA thus sets out to mine fundamental discoveries—the
Far side—and accelerate their development and lower their
risks until they prove their promise and can be adopted by the
US Armed Services. DARPA's work is high-risk and high-payoff precisely
because it bridges the gap between fundamental discoveries and
their military use.1
DARPA's budget estimate for FY2008 is
for $3.085 billion, broken down as follows:
|
| Basic research: | 5% ($153m)
|
| Applied research: | 45% ($1403m)
|
| Advanced technology development: | 48% ($1477m)
|
| Management support: | 2% ($53m)
|
| |
Although RRC or LW currently do not have any contracts
directly with DARPA, we are involved in DARPA activity. The DARPA
Tactical Technology Office (TTO) is the main focus group for RR.
One of their current programs is Blackswift, where RR is a subcontractor
to Lockheed Martin. Via AFRL (Air Force Research Laboratories),
DARPA is also funding the RR HiSTED contract. Both of these programs
are for High Mach propulsion.
DARPA's Quiet Supersonic Project helped launch the
Gulfstream Low Boom SSBJ technology program where RR is a partner
with Gulfstream. DARPA TTO was also the lead organization within
DoD to secure funding for the AFRL ADVENT program.
RR/LW is currently in discussions with DARPA on a
Hybrid Turbine Engine demonstrator, low cost missile engine technology
and DEW (Directed Energy Weapon) technology demonstration.
DARPA TTO funded Northrop Grumman for the Global Hawk
development and flight testing where RR was subcontracted to develop/install
the AE3007 engine. DARPA also conducted an Affordable Short Takeoff,
Vertical Landing (ASTOVL) program that eventually transitioned
and became the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program.
REFERENCE1 DARPA Strategic
Plan (Feb 2007)
February 2008
| 
