A B-52 Stratofortress crew chief assigned to the 20th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron marshals his aircraft on the flight line Aug. 22, 2015, at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. (Staff Sgt. Alexander W. Riedel/U.S. Air Force)
Defense News: US Air Force launches contest to replace the B-52 bomber’s engine
WASHINGTON — General Electric, Rolls-Royce, and Pratt & Whitney will compete for the chance to outfit the U.S. Air Force’s B-52 bomber fleet with new engines, with a contract award projected for June 2021.
The Air Force released a request for proposals for the B-52 Commercial Engine Replacement Program to the three companies on May 19. The engine makers are already under contract to create digital prototypes, and they have until July 22 to submit final proposals, the solicitation stated.
The Air Force operates 76 B-52s, each outfitted with eight TF33 engines. The service plans to order 608 new engines, plus spares and support, from the winner of the competition.
The public version of the RFP obscures the estimated value of the program, which is projected to extend from 2021 to 2035.
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WNU Editor: This is why the U.S. Air Force wants new B-52 engines .... Upgrade Time: U.S. Air Force is Calling for New B-52 Engines (National Interest).
4 comments:
I remember picking up pieces after they'd come through.
New fuel efficient and higher thrust engines are needed for Pacific warfare. The B1B is ideal for the Pacific, it has supersonic capability and carries the largest payload of all US bombers. The B52 needs to get faster and fly farther to be a killer out over the Pacific, much like the B1B.
Agreed, from Anon 2:19
Well, retrofitting the B-52 is a marvelous thing. We can do that again and again up the 3054. Why not?
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