Rolls-Royce chose the John C. Stennis Space Center, a NASA facilty, in Mississippi to build its first test facility of its kind outside the United Kingdom for its new outdoor jet engine testing.

This was not the first facility for Rolls Royce in Mississippi. Rolls-Royce Naval Marine Inc. in Pascagoula is a fully integrated marine propeller manufacturer for the United States Navy as well as the commercial marine market. The 60,000 square-foot facility houses a modern foundry, complete machine shop and repair and finishing departments.