Airbus and Rolls-Royce have agreed to collaborate on the integration of Rolls-Royce’s UltraFan demonstrator for flight testing, the companies announced Wednesday at the ILA Berlin Air Show. The team expects co-funding from Clean Sky 2, a research program sponsored by the European Union aimed at developing technology to reduce emissions.

A scalable jet engine design suitable for widebody or single-aisle aircraft, the UltraFan would generate a 25 percent fuel efficiency improvement over the first generation of Rolls-Royce Trent engines.

As part of the collaboration, Rolls-Royce has agreed with Airbus to provide nacelle and engine/aircraft integration architecture and technology “enablers.” Airbus said it expects to play an important part in achieving the overall fuel efficiency improvement of higher bypass ratio engines such as UltraFan through architecture innovations and associated technologies.

The UltraFan project centers on a new engine core architecture and lean-burn combustion system designed to improve fuel burn efficiency and lower emissions, along with a carbon-titanium fan blade system and composite casing to reduce weight. The engine also introduces a geared design to deliver more efficient power at high bypass ratios.

For Airbus, the project will allow for the integration of the full powerplant system—consisting of engine, pylon, and nacelle—onto future long-range aircraft products, as well as provide for scalability for future short-range aircraft. Airbus also expects the program to help it develop technologies such as high-deposition-rate additive manufacture, welded assembly, and high production rate thermoplastics.

“This technology development program with Rolls-Royce is a key project for Airbus to pave the way towards the next generation integrated propulsion systems that will be needed by airline customers towards the end of the next decade,” said Airbus head of research and technology Axel Flaig. “We thank the Clean Sky 2 European funding program for its strong support to this project, which is a key contributor towards the ACARE environmental targets.”