Rolls-Royce and US aircraft components-maker Goodrich are planning a 50-50 joint venture which would develop and supply engine controls for Rolls' jet engines.

Under the deal, Goodrich's UKbased facilities would join Rolls-Royce engineers who specialise in integrating the controls into the engines. The US firm would keep control of the aftermarket services business.

The companies will start talks with unions about a possible timetable for a deal and the impact on jobs.

The companies did not say if there would be staff cuts but the 1,100 Goodrich employees in Britain and 500 of Rolls' engineers in Europe and the US "may be transferred" to the new company. Despite a bulging order book, Rolls said in January that it planned to cut as many as 2300 jobs to help counter the impact of rising raw-materials costs.

Goodrich already works closely with Rolls-Royce and the companies say they are looking for "more efficient delivery" of the systems.

The US firm, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, is also the world's largest supplier of aircraft landing gear.

It has design and manufacturing facilities in Birmingham and Belfast while Rolls' engine control engineers are based in Bristol, Derby, Germany and Indianapolis. It is not clear where the combined group would be based.

The complex systems control power output in response to the pilot's demand and optimise the engine performance through controlling fuel flows.

They also provide vital data on performance that is fed to the cockpit.

"This proposed joint venture would allow us to align our activities more closely, and reflects the importance we attach to the engine control system in optimising performance," Colin Smith, engineering and technology director of Rolls-Royce said.

The two firms hope to push the deal ahead quickly.

"Should it go ahead, the aim would be to complete the joint venture as soon as possible, subject to regulatory review, consultation and approval which is expected to take several months," Rolls said.