Area Development
Rolls-Royce broke ground on a $50 million jet engine test facility at the company's outdoor testing site at NASA's John C. Stennis Space Center, south of Picayune on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

"This state-of-the-art test facility will play a key role in our commitment to deliver excellence to our customers by developing the world's cleanest and quietest engines," said James M. Guyette, Chairman, President and CEO, Rolls-Royce North America. "We are enhancing our global capabilities, including making investments in Mississippi, the United States and around the world."

The new jet engine test facility is the company's second outdoor jet engine test facility to be built-from-the-ground-up in the U.S. It has been designed to support specialist engine testing and will be used to conduct research, development, crosswind, thrust reverse, cyclic and endurance tests on all Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace engines.

As an incentive the Mississippi Development Authority is helping to support construction and workforce training at the facility, with additional support provided by Hancock County. When fully operational, the facility is expected to create 35 highly-skilled jobs.

"I am delighted Rolls-Royce is breaking ground on its new outdoor jet engine testing facility in Hancock County," said Brent Christensen, Executive Director, Mississippi Development Authority. "MDA is proud to assist the company in further growing its Mississippi operations. We value this global industry leader's contributions to the Mississippi Gulf Coast and the state as a whole and applaud Rolls-Royce for providing additional high-paying job opportunities for state residents."