New commercial engines for the B-52 bomber

[Slater]

Looks like the old dinosaur is finally getting some new propulsion after decades of fits and starts. From today's DoD contract announcements:

"Rolls-Royce Corp., Indianapolis, Indiana, has been awarded an estimated $500,870,458 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a six-year base period for B-52 Replacement Engines, with a potential total of $2,604,329,361 if all options are exercised. This contract provides for 608 commercial engines plus spare engines, associated support equipment and commercial engineering data, to include sustainment activities, to be used on the B-52H bomber fleet. The location of performance is Indianapolis, Indiana, and work is expected to be completed by Sept. 23, 2038. 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 $5,464,452 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (FA8107-21-D-0001)."

https://www.defense.gov/News/Contrac...ticle/2788736/

[Diamondback]

[Pacific5th]

Again? Will it happen this time. They have been talking about this since the 90’s.

[Diamondback]

Again? Will it happen this time. They have been talking about this since the 90’s.

This is the first time there's actually been money and a contract... in the early 2000s I myself wrote a proposal to rewing and re-engine for an additional 12,000lb MTOW (an even half-million lbs), a thrust-weight ratio of 1:1 and a CRAPLOAD more capacity for lightweight precision weapons. Imagine a B-52 that can rain precision-guided 250-pounders 40 miles either side of its flightpath all day long... or one packing enough Sidewinders to just rain them on enemy fighters whenever they try to take off.

[mrbieler]

So it sounds like we're going to be seeing B52's for another 20 years... "work is expected to be completed by Sept. 23, 2038"

[Slater]

With these new engines the B-52 is expected to soldier on until the 2050's.

My understanding is that this new F130 engine isn't a massive improvement in thrust over the existing engines. What it brings is a substantial improvement in fuel economy and reliability that will bring down the cost of ownership.

[chuckman]

So as much as I know a lot about a lot of things...I'll be honest...I had zero idea that B-52s were even still in service at all anywhere. I assumed we retired these late 80s and I have a passing interest in military aviation.

The things you learn. I seriously believed that once the stealths were online that replaced B-52 and ICBMs took up the rest of the slack. I thought AC-130s were the oldest thing still flying.

So is the B-52 the largest plane we currently have flying?

Actually the current iteration of the AC-130 (J) is just about brand new. Even the airframes are newer airframes.

It is just astonishing that the plan will keep these things flying 100 years after the original inception and test flights.