Engine maker Rolls-Royce has cleared the critical design review (CDR) milestone in its effort to field a new propulsion system for the US Air Force’s Boeing B-52 long-range bombers.
The UK-headquartered firm says the CDR was passed on 13 December, with the testing programme for the new F130 powerplant on track to start altitude trials in February at the USAF’s Arnold Engineering Development Complex in Tullahoma, Tennessee.
A derivative of the 16,900lb (75kN)-thrust BR725 turbine that powers the Gulfstream G650ER business jet, Rolls-Royce began testing the F130 in 2023 to support the USAF’s B-52 Commercial Engine Replacement Program (CERP), part of a broader effort to modernise the iconic Cold War bombers to the latest B-52J standard.
”We’re excited to start the production work to deliver this incredible and highly reliable engine for the B-52J,” says Candice Bineyard, Rolls-Royce director of defence programmes.
Earlier this summer, the company completed the first phases of F130 sea-level testing, along with rapid twin-pod tests at the NASA Stennis Space Center, to certify the engine’s suitability for use in the B-52’s distinctive dual-pod configuration.
Rolls-Royce plans to manufacture and assemble F130 engines in Indianapolis, Indiana. BR725 powerplants are currently built at its plant in Dahlewitz near Berlin.
Alongside new landing struts, improved electrical power generation, modernised cockpit displays and a new active electronically scanned radar, the new turbofans are meant to keep the B-52 fleet operational for decades to come.
Initial operating capability for the B-52J is expected in 2033.
The USAF plans continue flying its improved B-52Js alongside the forthcoming Northrop Grumman B-21 stealth bomber, currently in flight testing. The service’s other bombers, including the Northrop Grumman B-2 and Boeing B-1B, will be replaced by the B-21.
There are currently 76 B-52Hs in the USAF inventory, with an average age of 62 years, according to fleets data from aviation analytics firm Cirium.
