The Anonymous Widower

Rolls-Royce To Re-Engine A Fleet Of Aircraft That Went Into Service In 1955 For $2.6 Billion

This sounds like good business if you can get it for Rolls-Royce.

It’s all described in this press release from Rolls-Royce, which is entitled Rolls-Royce North America Selected To Power The B-52 Commercial Engine Replacement Program.

These are the first two paragraphs.

Rolls-Royce North America has been selected to provide the powerplant for the B-52 Stratofortress under the Commercial Engine Replacement Program (CERP), further extending a long history of powering the United States Air Force.

The decision means the American-made Rolls-Royce F-130 engine will power the B-52 for the next 30 years. The Air Force made the announcement after a vigorous multi-year competition.

Note.

1. It looks like the B-52s will stay in service until 2050.
2. That is not bad for an aircraft that first flew in 1952, when I was five.

Wikipedia describes the deal like this.

The USAF intends to purchase 650 engines (608 direct replacements, 42 spare engines) for its fleet of 76 B-52H aircraft in a $2.6 billion deal.

I suspect the accountants are pleased at Rolls-Royce, as $2.6 million is good cash-flow.

• The F-130 engine is a military variant of the BR725 engine, which was developed by Rolls-Royce Deutschland, which although it started as a joint-venture between Rolls-Royce and BMW, is now part of Rolls-Royce.
• The engines will be built by Rolls-Royce North America in Indianapolis.

So I suspect development costs will not be too horrendous!

October 5, 2021 - Posted by AnonW | Business, Transport/Travel | Boeing B-52, Rolls-Royce, United States, United States Air Force