A Thai Airways engine testbed at Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok will be used by Rolls-Royce to conduct maturity and cyclic testing on its Trent XWB program.

With the added capacity from the carrier in the form of its 13-metre, 150,000lb thrust-capable testbed, Rolls-Royce said conducting tests will give it a better understanding of the engine’s performance over a sustained period of operation.

Powering the Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, which is anticipated to enter into service in a matter of weeks, the high-thrust XWB-97 is one three engine types being brought to market by the British engine maker.

These also include the Trent 7000 for the A330neo, expected for later this year, and the Trent 1000-TEN, which entered into service three months ago in November 2017 as an engine option for the Boeing 787 alongside the GEnx.

In 2018 so far, Rolls-Royce said it plans to open a new testbed at the former facility used by its defunct Texas Aero Engine Services (TAESL) joint venture with American Airlines in Fort Worth, Texas. The TAESL announcement followed plans confirmed in June 2017 for a £90 million ($122 million) investment for additional testbed capacity at its Derby headquarters.