Pentagon funds next phase of engine replacement program for Cold War-era bombers, with work extending through 2033 as fleet heads toward century of service.
The U.S. Air Force approved more than $2 billion on Dec. 23 to modernize its fleet of B-52H strategic bombers with new turbofan engines, marking a major milestone in efforts to extend the service life of the Cold War-era aircraft for potentially another three decades.
The funding advances the B-52 Commercial Engine Replacement Program, which has been underway since 2018, and will pay for integrating new powerplants on two B-52H aircraft as part of the test and demonstration phase. Each bomber currently operates eight Pratt & Whitney TF33 turbofan engines mounted in the aircraft’s distinctive dual-pod, underwing configuration.
The contract approval follows Rolls-Royce’s successful completion of a critical design review in December 2024, a key Pentagon assessment that determines whether a new system meets performance requirements within cost and schedule targets before advancing into fabrication and testing.
Rolls-Royce secured the engine replacement contract in 2021 over rivals Pratt & Whitney and GE Aerospace with its F130 powerplant, a derivative of the company’s BR725 commercial engine. The British manufacturer began stand testing the F130 in 2023 using the B-52’s dual-pod arrangement and will assemble more than 600 engines at its Indianapolis facility.
The Pentagon plans to distribute the $2 billion in test and integration funds incrementally through 2033, when the re-engining work is scheduled for completion. Just under $36 million has been made available immediately.
The engine replacement is part of a broader service life extension that will redesignate the current H-model bombers as B-52Js. The Air Force’s 76 B-52s will also receive Raytheon’s AN/APQ-188 active electronically scanned array radar, updated communications for conventional and nuclear missions, new crew compartments, improved avionics, and enhanced weapon systems focused on long-range air-to-ground strike missiles.
Boeing delivered a B-52H equipped with the new radar to the Air Force earlier this month for ground and aerial testing scheduled for 2026, with a production decision for the fleet-wide radar upgrade expected later that year.
The Air Force projects it will reach initial operating capability for the B-52J in 2033, including both the new radar and F130 engines. That timeline remains consistent with recent estimates but represents a three-year delay from the original target for the fleet upgrade program.
The modernizations are central to Pentagon plans to keep the B-52 fleet operational for at least another 30 years. While the newer Boeing B-1B and Northrop Grumman B-2 bombers will be retired as the next-generation B-21 Raider enters service, the B-52J will remain on frontline status.
The B-52H fleet averages 64 years old, according to aviation analytics company Cirium. Despite each bomber being more than twice the age of most B-52 crew members, Air Force leaders now openly discuss the prospect of the fleet reaching 100 years of active service.
Key Takeaways
- The Air Force approved $2 billion for B-52 engine replacement following Rolls-Royce’s successful design review, funding integration work through 2033.
- Rolls-Royce will assemble more than 600 F130 engines in Indianapolis to replace the current Pratt & Whitney TF33 powerplants on all 76 B-52H bombers.
- The re-engining is part of a comprehensive modernization that includes new radar, avionics, and weapons systems, redesignating the fleet as B-52J.
- The 64-year-old bomber fleet is being upgraded to remain operational for at least 30 more years, potentially reaching a century of service.
