The Legendary B-52 Gets a New Lease on Life with New Engines and an AESA Radar
Boeing secured a major contract to modernize the U.S. Air Force’s B-52 strategic bombers through the integration of new Rolls-Royce F130 engines. This agreement, worth more than $2 billion (approximately €1.9 billion), extends the operational life of one of the symbols of American air power.
On December 23, 2025, the U.S. Department of Defense announced a new phase in the extensive modernization program for the B-52, the iconic strategic bomber in service since the 1950s. Boeing, the aircraft’s original manufacturer, received a task order valued at approximately $2.04 billion to integrate the new engines and modify the first two aircraft. This award reinforces Boeing’s central role in the U.S. Air Force’s modernization strategy and advances the future B-52 variant, expected to remain operational until at least the 2050s.
Far from a mere budget extension, this contract marks an operational shift following successful engineering work and critical design review validation in late 2024. The Air Force transitions from planning to actual aircraft transformation. The work involves modifying two B-52Hs to serve as test platforms for flight testing, subsystem validation, and preparation for full-series upgrades. Boeing positions itself as the key player in transitioning to the new-generation B-52.
The contract falls under the B-52 Commercial Engine Replacement Program (CERP), aimed at replacing the over-50-year-old Pratt & Whitney TF33 engines with modern Rolls-Royce F130s. Selected in 2021 after competition with GE and Pratt & Whitney, the F130 is a military derivative of the commercial BR725 turbofan, proven on business jets like the Gulfstream G650.
These engines offer **reduced fuel consumption** (up to 30% improvement), improved reliability, lower maintenance needs, and higher availability. They promise greater range, endurance, and performance—critical in complex long-range and contested environments. Improved reliability boosts fleet availability and operational responsiveness. As stated in the official announcement: “The U.S. Air Force has awarded Boeing Defense Systems a $2.04 billion contract to begin concrete integration work as part of the B-52 Commercial Engine Replacement Program.” This underscores confidence in Boeing to upgrade a pillar of U.S. air deterrence.
Beyond routine maintenance, this modernization structurally enhances U.S. Air Force capabilities. The civilian-derived F130 engines lower long-term costs while providing strategic assets in an era of great-power competition.
The re-engining complements other upgrades, including the Radar Modernization Program (RMP). In December 2025, the first B-52H equipped with a new Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar—Raytheon’s AN/APQ-188, derived from fighter jet systems—was delivered to Edwards Air Force Base for testing. This replaces the obsolete mechanical AN/APQ-166, offering superior all-weather navigation, targeting, detection range, and jamming resistance.
Timeline-wise, the modernized B-52 (often called the B-52J) projects initial operational capability around 2033, with full upgrades extending service into the 2050s or beyond. Boeing shapes a strategic asset for the next three decades: more efficient, better equipped, and capable of integrating advanced sensors and weapons, including hypersonic missiles and the future Long-Range Standoff weapon. Symbolically, the re-engined B-52 serves well beyond its 90th anniversary—a milestone unique in military aviation history.
On the industrial side, the contract secures years of work across multiple sites, including Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Seattle, and Indianapolis (where Rolls-Royce assembles over 600 F130 engines). It involves Boeing Defense Systems for integration, Rolls-Royce for engines, and subcontractors for nacelles, electrical systems, controls, and testing. Modification of the first two B-52s lays the groundwork for fleet-wide upgrades over the coming decade.
Strategically, this reflects U.S. preferences: optimizing the proven B-52 platform with contemporary technologies rather than full-scale replacement, while complementing programs like the stealthy B-21 Raider. The B-52J provides massive payload and range for standoff strikes, ensuring a balanced bomber force. It ensures continuity with a robust, upgradeable design and a smooth transition to future systems.
As U.S. authorities noted in trade press, this marks the shift from theoretical modernization to industrial and operational reality—one that keeps the “BUFF” (Big Ugly Fat Fellow, as crews affectionately call it) at the forefront of American strategic deterrence for generations to come.
