US Testing New Engines That Would Allow B-52 To Fly For Decades

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B-52 Stratofortress fans rejoice! The United States military recently released plans to keep this iconic warbird flying for several more decades.

Old aircraft like the B-52 have seen their fair share of upgrades throughout the years. However, one thing that largely stayed the same was its eight engines.

Out With The Old

B-52s feature four dual-engine pods, consisting of eight Pratt & Whitney TF33-P-3/103 turbofan engines, each producing around 17,000 lbs of thrust. Earlier this year, the US announced it was working on upgrades that would eventually allow the B-52 to serve for more than 100 years.

In With The New

The most notable of these improvements include replacing the TF33 engines with the new Rolls-Royce F-130s. These new powerplants can produce the same amount of thrust as its predecessor but offer a much higher fuel efficiency. In addition, the new F-130s are expected to reduce the maintenance time of the already maintenance-intensive B-52s in the US arsenal, allowing the US to save billions over the coming decades.

Here’s To Hoping

Testing of the F-130s started just this February, with many expecting it to continue throughout the year. Hopefully, we’ll see these old warbirds still up and about in the next coming decades.

The presence of the Stratofortress is a testament to how well-made the bomber’s original design was.