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Rolls-Royce F130 engine CDR advances B-52J development

The F130 engines are earmarked for production and comprehensive testing in Indianapolis.

Archana Rani December 16 2024

Rolls-Royce has successfully completed the critical design review (CDR) for the F130 engine, marking significant progress for the delivery of the US Air Force's (USAF) enhanced B-52J bomber.

In its 2024 budget justification documents, the USAF explained that any B-52H Stratofortress long-range bomber upgraded with the new commercial engines and related subsystems will be classified as B-52J.

The completion paves the way for final development, testing, and production for equipping the B-52H aircraft with upgraded propulsion systems.

This review represents more than two years of design efforts and collaborative work among Rolls-Royce, the US Air Force, and Boeing.

The engine's test programme is on schedule to initiate altitude testing at the US Air Force’s Arnold Engineering Development Complex in Tullahoma, Tennessee, by February 2025.

Rolls-Royce Defense Early Life Cycle & Naval Programs director Candice Bineyard said: “We’re extremely proud to have delivered the F130 CDR milestone on-time for the B-52J, and grateful for our continued partnership with the US Air Force and Boeing.

“Throughout the detailed design phase, our teams have executed a rigorous process in close collaboration with our partners. We’re excited to start the production work to deliver this incredible and highly reliable engine for the B-52J.”

In August 2024, Rolls-Royce completed initial sea-level testing phases for the F130 engine at its Indianapolis facilities. The engine also concluded Rapid Twin Pod Tests at NASA's Stennis Space Center.

During sea-level tests, the engine was operated using its initial software version within the upgraded Test Cell 114 facility.

This testing gathered key data using the first engine software in Test Cell 114, which was upgraded as part of Rolls-Royce’s $1bn modernisation programme at the Indianapolis facility.

The F130 engines are predicted for production and comprehensive testing in Indianapolis.

The Rapid Twin Pod Tests at NASA Stennis Space Center marks the first time the F130 engines was tested in the dual-pod configuration used by the B-52 aircraft.

The Rapid Twin Pod Tests were instrumental in validating analytical models and mitigating risks associated with integrating the F130 engine onto the B-52J platform.

Derived from the Rolls-Royce BR family, the F130 engine is designed to extend the B-52’s operational life by 30 years. With more than 1,000 engines globally, the engine is anticipated to deliver improvements.

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