The B-52 refuses to retire as a $9 billion engine upgrade pushes a Cold War bomber toward nearly a century of service
- Engine replacement aims to extend B-52 service life significantly
- New turbofans promise improved fuel efficiency and reduced maintenance needs
- The B-52’s aging TF33 engines have not been produced since the 1980s
The US Air Force has cleared Boeing to begin replacing the B-52’s aging Pratt & Whitney engines with new Rolls-Royce F130 turbofans.
Known as the ‘BUFF’ bomber, the first unit will arrive at Boeing’s facility in San Antonio, Texas, later this year for modification.
This long-awaited upgrade, known as the Commercial Engine Replacement Program or CERP, recently passed a critical design review that was originally scheduled for 2023.
Cost of keeping a Cold War bomber alive for a century
Estimating the total lifecycle cost of the B-52 program is a massive undertaking, as it covers nearly a century of service from 1952 to 2050 with a peak fleet of 744 aircraft.
Adjusted for inflation to the value of the dollar in 2050, the total program cost is estimated at $1.3 to $1.5 trillion, which includes initial development and production, continuous historical operations and maintenance, and the massive B-52J modernization program currently underway.
The B-52 currently uses TF33 engines that have not been in production since 1985 and have become increasingly costly to maintain.
The new F130 engines offer substantially better fuel economy and reduced maintenance demands, which will extend the bomber’s range and reduce reliance on aerial refuelling tankers.
The upgrade also includes new twin-engine pods and modern generators that will significantly increase the aircraft’s electrical power capacity.
After receiving new engines and a radar upgrade, the bombers will be redesignated from B-52H to B-52J.
Delays, redesigns, and the challenge of upgrading an aging fleet
The B-52 entered service in 1955 and has flown missions continuously since then, including recent strikes against Iran.
The Air Force plans to keep the B-52 fleet operational until the 2050s, giving the aircraft nearly a full century of service.
However, CERP efforts have suffered multiple delays since the Rolls-Royce contract was awarded in 2021, as engineers identified a critical issue with engine inlet distortion, which required a redesign and additional wind tunnel testing.
The total estimated cost of the program has also grown, with reports suggesting it has risen from $8 billion to $9 billion.
“This CERP critical design review is the culmination of an enormous amount of engineering and integration work,” said Lt. Col. Tim Cleaver, the CERP program manager.
The upgrades are considered “crucial for keeping the B-52 Stratofortress a formidable asset in the nation’s long-range strike arsenal through 2050 and beyond.”
The first re-engined B-52s will be tested at Edwards Air Force Base before the go-ahead is given for the remaining 74 aircraft in the fleet.
The B-52 has outlived every other bomber that ever shared the sky with it, and that is not an accident.
The airframe was overbuilt in ways that engineers in the 1950s could not fully appreciate, and nothing else on the horizon can do what it can for a similar price.
Replacing the B-52 with a new platform purpose-built for the same missions would cost far more than keeping the old airframes flying.
Whether the bet holds up when the first modified B-52J rolls out of the hangar in the 2030s is a question that only flight testing will answer.
Via Defense One
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