Engine Maker Advances B-52 Re-Engining Effort With Successful Altitude Tests

Rolls-Royce has completed a critical testing phase for its F130 engine, which is set to power the US Air Force’s re-engined B-52 bombers. The testing, conducted at the Arnold Engineering Development Complex in Tennessee, evaluated the engine’s performance under various mission conditions. The F130 engine is a key component of the B-52 Commercial Engine Replacement Program, which aims to replace the aircraft’s legacy engines with more efficient and reliable ones. The program is part of a broader modernization effort for the B-52, which includes radar, avionics, and other subsystem upgrades. According to AeroTime, the successful testing of the F130 engine brings the program one step closer to achieving initial operating capability, targeted for 2033.