Boeing and Rolls-Royce tested the B-52 Stratofortress nuclear bomber with new F130 engines
Rolls-Royce has won a tender to re-engineer the B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber, which will extend the aircraft's service life into the 1950s. The British manufacturer recently tested the aircraft with the new engines for the first time.
Here's What We Know
The B-52 Stratofortress will receive eight Rolls-Royce F130 power units. They are easy to maintain and consume much less fuel than the Pratt & Whitney TF33-PW-103. Their service life ends in 2030. To install the new engines, the aircraft must be equipped with larger compartments.
We predict a windy forecast this #B52sday at #ASC22. ????
- Boeing Defense (@BoeingDefense) September 20, 2022
The #B52 Commercial Engine Replacement Program completed wind tunnel testing using similar models used by engineers in the 1950s to collect data for future flight tests. This ensures the new engines will work as expected. pic.twitter.com/33JYrx7jbD
For the test, the company developed a 1-in-25 scale model of the B-52 Stratofortress. The aircraft was tested in a wind tunnel. The test simulated a flight speed of nearly 1,120 km/h, or about Mach 1.
Rolls-Royce has signed a contract to supply 608 F130 engines, spare parts and additional equipment. However, if the British company can meet all the requirements of the U.S. Army, the contract value will be increased by more than five times - up to 2.6 billion dollars.
Note that because of the Pratt & Whitney TF33-PW-103 engines, the B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber is one of the most expensive aircraft in the entire U.S. Air Force fleet to maintain. An hour of flight time costs about $70,000.
Image: Air Force Magazine
