A "revolutionary deal" to equip the USAF's fleet of B-52 strategic bombers with at least $1 billion worth of leased Rolls-Royce engines is looking good, says Jerry King, president of Boeing Defense and Space.
"The USAF is very enthusiastic," he said on Wednesday at Farnborough.
Under the deal, the popular RB-211-535 engines, used on the Boeing 757, will be leased from Boeing and Rolls-Royce to extend the life of the USAF's veteran B-52s well into the next century.
Four of the UK-made engines will replace the eight existing Pratt & Whitney TF33s on each bomber.
The USAF may consider upgrading only 72 of its 94 airframes, says King.
Package
Boeing, Rolls-Royce and its American subsidiary, Allison Engine, have proposed to the Pentagon that the engines be leased back in a move to re-package the deal, which will involve $1.5 billion of work for Boeing. King says he hopes to persuade the US Congress to change the "colour of the money" so funding will come from the USAF's operations and maintenance budget, rather than counting as a new acquisition programme.
The engines with their improved performance will result in "tremendous" savings in fuel and maintenance costs, says King.
The Rolls-Royce element is likely to be worth as much as or more than Boeing's.
B-52s were used in Tuesday's American attacks on Iraq.
Source: Flight Daily News
