The VKI high-speed compressor facility R-2 is an open-loop system for the investigation of axial and radial compressors. The axial compressor rotor can have a maximum diameter of 500 mm and the casing is large enough to house a multistage configuration.  The facility is driven up to 10000 RPM by 185 kW DC motor, alternatively used to drive the blower providing the flow to the cascade tunnel C-1.

The facility is instrumented with a torque meter, servo-controlled directional probes, thermocouples, transducers, hotwire anemometers and laser-based instrumentation.