Ground testing on the F130 engine that will be used on the US Air Force’s B-52 Stratofortress for the next thiry years has started in Indianapolis.
The US Air Force has a fleet of 76 Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bombers, each powered by eight engines which it wants to keep in service “through 2050”. The B-52A first flew in 1954.
The US Air Force selected Rolls-Royce’s F130 to re-engine the aircraft in 2021, awarding it a US$2.6 billion contract to supply 608 engines.
The engine produces 17,000 lbf and is a variant of Rolls-Royce’s BR725 commercial engine. The F130 series of engines already powers aircraft in the US Air Force fleet, including the E-11A and C-37 aircraft.
Sea-level testing of the First Engine to Test at Indianapolis will run the initial software release for the F130 in the recently refurbished Test Cell 114.
In addition, engineers will finish Rapid Twin Pod Tests with the F130 this week at NASA Stennis. These tests were the first time F130 engines were run in the dual-pod engine configuration that will be used on the B-52 aircraft.
The tests produced critical performance data, validating Rolls-Royce’s analytical predictions – including performance in crosswind conditions, de-risking the integration of the F130 engine onto the B-52.
Rolls-Royce said that the testing at NASA Stennis has played a key role in meeting initial testing goals. The test data will inform the production configuration of the F130 engine Critical Design Review (CDR), which is expected to be done before November this year.
Candice Bineyard, director, early life cycle and naval programs – defense at Rolls-Royce said, “We are thrilled to take the next step in the program with F130 sea-level testing in Indianapolis. To date, our testing program has confirmed our predictions and allowed us to stay on track to deliver this fixed price contract for the US Air Force.
“The F130 engine has demonstrated incredible dispatch reliability, which will translate to lower lifecycle costs for the B-52, as well as improved fuel efficiency. As we kick off testing in Test Cell 114, we want to thank our partners at Boeing and the Air Force as we move forward in the program together.”
Test Cell 114 was refurbished as part of a US$1 billion modernization program at Rolls-Royce’s Indianapolis facility aimed at delivering innovation and advanced manufacturing capabilities to the US Air Force and other customers with American labor.
The F130 engines will be manufactured, assembled and tested in Indianapolis, which is Rolls-Royce’s largest production plant in the USA.
The F130 engines will be used on the B-52s for the remainder of the aircraft’s life. The Rolls-Royce BR family from which the F130 is derived is used in commercial business and regional jets and have amassed over 30 million hours of operation.
