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Rolls-royce V-MIL

MILITARY AUDIT UPDATED 2026-05-27
V-MIL Score 6.22 /10 C Rolls-royce — BDS-1000 448
V-MIL 6.22

Evidence-only forensic audit. Scoring happens downstream — see the main dossier for the composite assessment.

V-MIL Audit: Rolls-Royce

V-MIL Audit: Rolls-Royce Holdings plc

Direct Defence Contracting & Procurement

Rolls-Royce Holdings plc, through its wholly-owned subsidiary MTU Friedrichshafen and its US subsidiary Rolls-Royce Solutions America, maintains active Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contracts supplying powerpack systems and diesel engines to the Israeli Ministry of Defense 123.

Namer Armored Personnel Carrier Power Pack: Rolls-Royce Solutions America was awarded a USD 193.9 million contract in September 2021 to supply power pack systems for the Namer Armored Personnel Carrier via US Foreign Military Sales to Israel 23. The original FMS case was approved in February 2019 for USD 238 million 23.

Eitan Armored Fighting Vehicle Power Pack: A USD 180 million State Department approved sale in April 2025 included 8V199TE21-D powerpack engines for the Eitan Armored Fighting Vehicle, with Rolls-Royce Solutions America serving as the prime contractor 13.

MTU America Navy Contract: MTU America Inc. was awarded a USD 7.946 million contract in 2018 to supply engines and components to the Government of Israel via FMS 1. The contract covered MTU engine series M90, M94, TB54, TB82, TB93, TB94, TE83, TE94, and SE84 1.

Israeli C-130J Fleet: Israel operates C-130J Super Hercules aircraft powered by Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 turboprop engines, supplied through the Lockheed Martin FMS pathway 45.

Sa’ar 6-Class Corvette Propulsion: The Sa’ar 6-class corvettes (INS Magen, INS Oz, INS Atzmaut, INS Nitzachon) use a combined diesel and diesel (CODAD) propulsion system with two MTU diesel engines, not the Rolls-Royce MT30 gas turbine 671. The MT30 is used on US Navy Zumwalt-class destroyers and UK Type 26 frigates, but no evidence confirms its use on Israeli naval platforms 67.

Israeli Subsidiary Operations: Rolls-Royce Solutions Israel Limited operates as a wholly-owned Israeli subsidiary confirmed in the Who Profits database 1. Techjet Aerofoils Limited operates as a 50%-owned joint venture in Israel, also confirmed in the Who Profits database 1.

Dual-Use Products & Tactical Variants

MTU MT-883 Engine for Merkava Tanks: The MTU MT-883 engine powers Israel’s Merkava Mark 4 and Mark 5 battle tanks, which have been used extensively in Gaza operations since October 2023 28.

MTU M90 Marine Engine for Patrol Vessels: The MTU M90 marine engine powers Super Dvora Mk III patrol vessels used by the Israeli Navy for enforcing the naval blockade of Gaza 12.

8V199TE21-D Powerpack for Eitan AFV: The 8V199TE21-D powerpack powers the Eitan Armored Fighting Vehicle, a dual-use platform with military-specific configuration 13.

T56 Engine for Israeli C-130H: No public evidence identified confirming whether Rolls-Royce T56 turboprop engines (legacy C-130H powerplant) have been supplied to Israel 4.

Heavy Machinery, Construction & Infrastructure

Settlement Activity: Rolls-Royce does not manufacture construction machinery, earthmoving equipment, or engineering infrastructure equipment 9. No evidence was found of Rolls-Royce equipment being used in settlement construction, separation barrier construction, or demolition activity in the Occupied Palestinian Territories or Golan Heights 9.

UN OHCHR Settlement Database: Rolls-Royce is not listed in the UN OHCHR business enterprise database for settlement activities 9.

Supply Chain Integration with Defence Primes

MTU Powers Approximately 80% of Israeli Navy: MTU (Rolls-Royce subsidiary) is the largest engine supplier to the Israeli Navy, powering approximately 80% of vessels including Super Dvora and Shaldag-class patrol boats used in Gaza blockade enforcement 28.

Platform-Based Supply Structure: Rolls-Royce supplies engines through platform integrators rather than direct supply to Israeli defence primes 12. Lockheed Martin serves as the integrator for C-130J aircraft, Kawasaki Heavy Industries for Sa’ar 6 corvettes, and direct FMS channels for Namer and Eitan armored vehicles 1364.

Direct Component Supply to Israeli Defence Primes: No verified evidence identified of specific Rolls-Royce component categories supplied directly to Elbit Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), or Rafael Advanced Defense Systems 12.

Logistical Sustainment & Base Services

Base Services Contracts: No public evidence identified of Rolls-Royce providing catering, transport, fuel supply, waste management, facilities maintenance, or other support services to IDF bases, military installations, detention facilities, or checkpoints 12.

Munitions, Weapons Systems & Strategic Platforms

Sa’ar 6 Armed Platform Deployment: The Sa’ar 6 corvettes are armed with C-Dome naval missile defence system, Barak-8 surface-to-air missiles, and naval gun systems 7. These vessels have been operationally deployed during the October 2023-onward Gaza conflict period for maritime patrol and naval blockade support 7.

Direct Weapons System Manufacturing: Rolls-Royce’s role is limited to propulsion and power generation sub-systems 12. The company is not a prime contractor for munitions, warheads, guided weapons, or complete weapons platforms 12.

Export Licensing, Regulatory & Legal History

UK Export Licence Suspension (September 2024): The UK government suspended approximately 30 of approximately 350 export licences to Israel in September 2024, citing “clear risk” that exported goods could be used in ways constituting serious violations of international humanitarian law 10. The suspended categories included ML10 (military aircraft and aero-engines) 10. The specific companies holding suspended licences were not publicly named in the announcement 10.

UK Strategic Export Controls Annual Report 2024: The UK Strategic Export Controls Annual Report 2024 documents export licensing activity and compliance frameworks relevant to Rolls-Royce’s UK-based operations 11.

UN Special Procedures Communication: UN Special Procedures issued communication JAL OTH 82/2024 concerning transfers of arms and ammunition by Rolls-Royce Power Systems to Israel 12.

Dutch Export Licence Data (2023): The Netherlands issued 9 individual export permits for Israel totaling EUR 12.1 million in 2023 13.

OECD NCP Complaint: Corner House vs Rolls-Royce was filed in April 2005 and closed in November 2010 regarding the company’s refusal to disclose agent names to a UK export credit agency 14. This complaint was unrelated to Israel and was closed without determination 14.

Specific UK SIEL Identifiers: The suspended 30 licences under the September 2024 UK announcement were not publicly named by specific company 10. Specific Rolls-Royce-held Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) that may have been suspended cannot be verified without access to classified annexes or Freedom of Information requests 1011.

Civil Society Scrutiny & Documented Investigations

Who Profits Database: Rolls-Royce is listed in the Who Profits database with revenues in Israel totaling more than USD 97 million in 2024 1. The database entry documents MTU engine supply to Israeli naval vessels and armoured vehicles 1.

AFSC Investigate Database: Rolls-Royce Holdings is listed in the American Friends Service Committee database documenting MTU engine supply to Israeli Merkava tanks, Namer APC, and approximately 80% of Israeli Navy vessels 23.

UN Special Rapporteur Report (A/HRC/59/23): Rolls-Royce Holdings is listed among 48 corporate actors “deeply entwined in the system of occupation, apartheid and genocide” in the UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese’s report published July 2025 15.

BDS Movement Corporate Complicity List: Rolls-Royce Holdings is included on the BDS movement’s corporate complicity list for being a weapons manufacturer supplying Israel 16.

Corporate Response: No public evidence identified of Rolls-Royce issuing specific statements, policy changes, contract terminations, or end-use monitoring commitments in response to civil society pressure regarding its Israeli defence supply chain 12.

Board Member FIDF/Reservist Fund Affiliations: No public evidence identified linking Anita Frew (Chair), Tufan Erginbilgiç (CEO), or non-executive directors to IDF reservist funds, FIDF donations, or Israeli defence industry board positions 17.

Major Shareholder Defence-Sector Connections: Vanguard Group holds approximately 3.05% of Rolls-Royce shares, BlackRock holds approximately 2.87%, and Capital Group holds approximately 2.80% 1. No evidence identified of Israeli defence-sector connections among these institutional shareholders 1.

End Notes

Footnotes

  1. https://www.whoprofits.org/companies/company/7397?rolls-royce= ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12 ↩13 ↩14 ↩15 ↩16 ↩17 ↩18 ↩19 ↩20

  2. https://investigate.afsc.org/company/rolls-royce-hldgs ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10 ↩11 ↩12 ↩13

  3. https://investigate.info/company/rolls-royce-hldgs ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rolls-Royce_AE_2100 ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  5. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/israel-acquires-additional-lockheed-martin-c-130j-super-hercules-120863524.html ↩

  6. https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/saar-6-class-corvettes ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sa%27ar_6-class_corvette ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  8. https://afsc.org/gaza-genocide-companies ↩ ↩2

  9. https://www.ohchr.org/en/business/bhr-database ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  10. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-suspends-around-30-arms-export-licences-to-israel-for-use-in-gaza-over-international-humanitarian-law-concerns ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  11. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/687907f70263c35f52e4dda2/UK_Strategic_Export_Controls_Annual_Report_2024_Accessible.pdf ↩ ↩2

  12. https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TmSearch/Mandates?m=16 ↩

  13. https://stopwapenhandel.org/dutch-arms-exports-to-israel-in-2023 ↩

  14. https://www.oecdwatch.org/complaint/corner-house-vs-rolls-royce ↩ ↩2

  15. https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/economy-occupation-economy-genocide-report-special-rappoteur-situation-human-rights-palestinian-territories-occupied-1967-advance-unedited-version-ahrc5923 ↩

  16. https://bdsmovement.net/Get-involved-divestment ↩

  17. https://www.rolls-royce.com/about/leadership/board.aspx ↩