The Rolls-Royce T56 is a single-shaft turboprop engine with a 14-stage axial flow compressor driven by a four-stage turbine. The gearbox has two stages of gear reduction and features a propeller brake. The gearbox is connected to the power section by a torque meter assembly. Other engine modules are the can-annular type combustor and the accessory drive housing.
The T56 military turboprop and its commercial equivalent, the 501-D, are two of the leading large turboprop
engines on the market based on the number of units sold. In total the engine has accumulated in excess of 200 million
flight operating hours. Since the first T56 engine entered production in 1954, more than 18,000 T56/501-D turboprop engines
have been installed on a wide variety of aircraft, including the Lockheed Martin
C-130A-H Hercules (4x T56),
the Northrop Grumman
E-2C/D Hawkeye/Advanced Hawkeye (2x T56) airborne early warning aircraft,
the Lockheed P-3C Orion (4x T56) anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft,
and the Northrop Grumman
C-2A Greyhound (2x T56) Carrier On-board Delivery (COD) aircraft.
Commercial aircraft applications for the T56 have included the Convair CV-580 and CV-5800, the Lockheed L-100 Hercules (the commercial variant of the C-130),
and the Lockheed L-188 Electra.
On the newest variant of the C-130 Family of military airlift aircraft, the
C-130J Super Hercules,
four Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 turboprop engines are installed.
Compared to the T56, the AE 2100 is easier to maintain and has lower operating costs
+ it features a FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control) system.
The T56 Series 3.5 Engine Upgrade program uses proven technology and materials from other Rolls-Royce engines
and will improve fuel efficiency (12% reduction), reduce maintenance costs, increase reliability and enhance performance.
The upgrade allows T56 engines to operate at greatly reduced temperatures, which extends the service life of parts
and improves reliability by 22%. In February 2016, Rolls-Royce delivered the first T56 Series 3.5 Engine Upgrade kits
to the U.S. Air Force for installation on its C-130H transport fleet.
Sources Used: U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and Rolls-Royce plc.
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Engine Type: |
Turboprop Engine |
Applications: |
E-2C Hawkeye;
E-2D Advanced Hawkeye;
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Status: |
In Production (E-2D) |
Manufacturer: |
Rolls-Royce plc |
Price/Unit Cost: |
T56-A-427: $2.40 million |
By Joakim Kasper Oestergaard Balle /// Contact Forecast International
Rolls-Royce: T56 Turboprop Engine
Rolls-Royce: T56 Series 3.5 Engine Upgrade
YouTube: The Rolls-Royce T56 on YouTube
Fact Sheet: Rolls-Royce T56 Turboprop
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Manufacturer: Rolls-Royce plc |
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