Above: A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress aircraft flies in a seven-ship formation during the Hyundai Air and Sea Show at Miami Beach, Florida. (DVIDS photo)
Boeing has been awarded a $2 billion contract from the U.S. Air Force to continue development of the B-52 Commercial Engine Replacement Program.
- This next phase focuses on modifying and flight-testing two B-52 test aircraft to validate the upgrades before moving into full production.
Why it matters: The new engines and systems will increase efficiency, range and operational life — keeping the B-52 relevant into 2050 and beyond.
- The modifications will also improve reliability, streamline maintenance, lower life-cycle cost and enable longer missions — all things that directly support the warfighter.
What’s next: Teammates will install new Rolls‑Royce F‑130 commercial engines and other subsystem upgrades at the Boeing San Antonio modification facility in Texas.
- The two test aircraft will also receive upgrades to power generation and distribution, hydraulic and pneumatic systems, cockpit controls and displays, flight avionics, and onboard engine start capability.
A milestone designation: With these upgrades the Air Force has given the modified airplanes a new name: the B-52J. It’s the first platform designation change since the H-model in 1961 — marking how significant these changes are.
Leadership perspective: “Since 1955, the B-52 has been a crucial backbone of the United States’ nuclear triad,” said Troy Dawson, Boeing’s vice president of Bombers programs. “This modernization effort showcases our customer’s continued trust in a ‘peace through strength’ era. The new engines will enable the fleet to fly farther and longer, with improved reliability and maintainability while operating at a lower overall cost.”