Author Topic: B-52's may become four engine bomber. (Read 431 times)

Ozark · « **on:** August 17, 2003, 03:49:27 PM »

Makes sense to me. Reduce engine maintenance by 50%.

LONDON, Aug 17 (Reuters) - British aero-engine maker Rolls-Royce Plc is in contention to replace the engines on the U.S. Air Force's mainstay B-52 bomber in a deal worth upwards of $3 billion, the Sunday Times reported.

The newspaper reported that Rolls-Royce is in talks with the USAF and Boeing (nyse: BA - news - people), which made the B-52, to replace the eight Pratt & Whitney engines -- designed in the 1950s -- on each plane with four Rolls-Royce RB211 engines.

The USAF has 85 B-52s in active service, according to the Times, and nine in reserve.

Rolls-Royce was not immediately available for comment. The company's Web site notes that the RB211 engine "is recommended for B-52 modernisation." The plane first flew in 1954, and there are plans to keep it in service for at least another 40 years.

Pratt & Whitney, now a unit of United Technologies Corp (nyse: UTX - news - people), and General Electric Co (nyse: UTX - news - people) are also in the running for the B-52 engine refitting, the Times reported.

Copyright 2003, Reuters News Service
http://www.forbes.com/home_europe/newswire/2003/08/17/rtr1059596.html

SFRT - Frenchy · « **Reply #1 on:** August 17, 2003, 03:51:23 PM »

I read about that in 1996:D French aviation magazine.

Ozark · « **Reply #2 on:** August 17, 2003, 03:56:30 PM »

LOL! The goverment works slowly.

Ike 2K# · « **Reply #3 on:** August 17, 2003, 04:21:50 PM »

along with the Soviet style beaucracy:)

Otto · « **Reply #4 on:** August 17, 2003, 05:46:42 PM »

Why not just take a B-777 and convert to haul JDAMS?

Ike 2K# · « **Reply #5 on:** August 17, 2003, 07:28:18 PM »

why not buy AN-225 from Ukraine and convert it to a bomber:D

pls note that AN-225 is the biggest mammoth ever to fly with heavy cargo.