Strategic bombers B-52 in the United States modernize for 2,6 billion dollars

The US Air Force has selected the North American branch of the British company Rolls-Royce to supply F130 turbofan engines to modernize its fleet of strategic bombers Boeing B-52Н Stratofortress ("Stratospheric Fortress"), writes the American edition of Air Force Magazine.

The program, which has dragged on for decades, is an important step in the upgrade of the US Air Force bombers. Now the B-52H will be in service until 2050, that is, until the time they finally will not replace the ultra-modern "invisible" Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider.



Rolls-Royce's new contract with the US Air Force is estimated at about $ 500,9 million and is expected to last for the next six years, but if all options are exercised, then its value could exceed $ 2,6 billion. According to the Pentagon, the contract provides for the supply of 608 engines as well as spare powertrains, ancillary equipment and commercial engineering data, in particular maintenance, to be used by the B-52H bomber fleet.

Rolls-Royce is confident that the F130 engines will not need to be completely replaced until the end of the B-52H bomber's service, but chances are the Air Force will want to purchase parts over time. Recall that the F130 engine from Rolls-Royce bypassed the CF34-10 power units from General Electric (USA) and PW800 from Pratt and Whitney (Canada) in the competition, the media summed up.