Rolls-Royce F130 engines for B-52 Begins Testing

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B-52’s New Powerful Engines

Rolls-Royce is finally about to begin testing its new F130 engines. The F130 was selected by the United States Air Force in 2021 to replace the existing powerplants used in the B-52 fleet. 

According to the company’s press release, the engine testing will mostly focus on crosswind aerodynamic flow and confirming the successful operation of the engine’s digital controls system.

Testing will be done at the NASA Stennis Space Center in Mississippi and will be sampled in the dual-pod engine configuration of the B-52.

The US Air Force expects to receive over 600 new F130s as part of the B-52 modernization program. Both Rolls-Royce and the USAF anticipate that the new engine will extend the life of the B-52 for thirty more years, with the F130 expected to remain for the remainder of the aircraft’s service life.