"Rolls-Royce in Boeing talks for $3B USD B-52 engine contract - report
LONDON (AFX) - Rolls-Royce PLC is in talks with Boeing Co and the US Air Force (USAF) over an ambitious plan to put new engines on America's fleet of B-52 bombers, The Sunday Times reported citing the aero-engines company.
The contract could prove extremely lucrative for the winning bidder. The USAF has 85 B-52s in its active fleet, and nine in reserve.
Four or eight engines would be required for each aircraft as well as a considerable number of spares. One American military analyst said the contract could eventually be worth more than 3 bln usd, according to the newspaper.
The B-52s, which were used extensively during the recent war in Iraq, are the mainstay of America's long-range bomber force.
But they have been in service for more than 40 years, and are powered by Pratt & Whitney engines that were designed in the 1950s. Boeing, which made the B-52, has been asked to examine whether it makes sense to fit new engines. A similar, unsolicited, study was done in 1996, but the project was passed over in favour of upgrades to the cockpit and weapons systems, the newspaper said.
Rolls-Royce confirmed this weekend that it had proposed two solutions after receiving a request for information from Boeing.
Rolls-Royce thinks the B-52's eight engines could be replaced by four of its RB211 jets -- an engine that powers many wide-bodied commercial aircraft -- or eight smaller BR700s.
Rolls-Royce's two American rivals, Pratt and General Electric, are also understood to have submitted proposals to Boeing to replace the B-52 power plants with more modern equipment, the article added."
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LONDON (AFX) - Rolls-Royce PLC is in talks with Boeing Co and the US Air Force (USAF) over an ambitious plan to put new engines on America's fleet of B-52 bombers, The Sunday Times reported citing the aero-engines company.
The contract could prove extremely lucrative for the winning bidder. The USAF has 85 B-52s in its active fleet, and nine in reserve.
Four or eight engines would be required for each aircraft as well as a considerable number of spares. One American military analyst said the contract could eventually be worth more than 3 bln usd, according to the newspaper.
The B-52s, which were used extensively during the recent war in Iraq, are the mainstay of America's long-range bomber force.
But they have been in service for more than 40 years, and are powered by Pratt & Whitney engines that were designed in the 1950s. Boeing, which made the B-52, has been asked to examine whether it makes sense to fit new engines. A similar, unsolicited, study was done in 1996, but the project was passed over in favour of upgrades to the cockpit and weapons systems, the newspaper said.
Rolls-Royce confirmed this weekend that it had proposed two solutions after receiving a request for information from Boeing.
Rolls-Royce thinks the B-52's eight engines could be replaced by four of its RB211 jets -- an engine that powers many wide-bodied commercial aircraft -- or eight smaller BR700s.
Rolls-Royce's two American rivals, Pratt and General Electric, are also understood to have submitted proposals to Boeing to replace the B-52 power plants with more modern equipment, the article added."
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