The B-52 Bomber Getting is New Engine, Does It Matter?

Along the backbone of the united states bomber fleet, the cold war era bombers are getting new engines. The Mighty B-52 bomber long the mainstay of the united states long-range bomber fleet will be re-engined in one of the most significant overhauls in the plane's long life. Rolls-Royce corp Indiana has been awarded an estimated 500 hundred 870 eight dollars in definite delivery. Indefinite quantity contract with a six-year base period for B-52 replacement engines with a potential total of two billion six hundred four million three hundred twenty-nine thousand three hundred 361 if all options are exercised. An award notice from the department of defense explained

This contract provides for 608 commercial engines plus spare engines. Aasociated support equipment and commercial engineering data to include sustainment activities to be used on the B-52H bomber fleet. The location of performance as Indianapolis, Indiana and work is expected to be completed by september twenty third twenty thirty eight. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition in which one solicitation was posted and four offers were received.

Fiscal 2021 research and development funds in the amount of five million four hundred sixty four thousand four hundred fifty two dollars are being obligated at the time of award. The B-52's current engines, the TF-33 manufactured by pratt and whitney have been mated to the B-52 since 1961. 

The TF-33 is a relatively simple turbofan engine design built in the late 1950. Although eight of the engines arranged in four pods have powered the B-52 since the early 1960. Pratt and Whitney seized TF-33 production in 1985 though the company still offers support via spare parts, though engine servicing costs have steadily increased.

Rolls-royce's new engines will fit inside the B-52's current engine shrouds but offer significant increases across the board. Expected benefits include vastly improved, fuel efficiency, airplane range and noise reduction. Rather than building a from scratch design. the company offered a variant of its BR700 engine a tried and true turbo fan popular with business and regional jet aircraft.

Previous reporting hinted at other upgrades to the venerable bomber besides just engines. Other enhancements that the air force could incorporate include upgrades to the bomber's cockpit avionics, ejection system and defensive capabilities it is possible that due to the additional electrical power the B-52's new engines are expected to generate. Defensive weapon systems that draw tremendous amounts of electricity like lasers could be incorporated into the plane.

After sixty years of continuous service a replacement for the bombers cold war era engines are long overdue. With revamped engines the strato fortress is expected to fly as late as the 2040 or 2050 at which point the plane would be almost a century old.