The U.S. Air Force is continuing to improve the engines and braking systems of the B-52s to allow them to continue their missions into the 2050s.
Military.com reports that the U.S. Air Force is preparing to purchase 608 engines for the B-52 Stratofortress bomber fleet, and is continuing to improve its brakes and The design of the brakes and wheels will allow the veteran, who began service in 1955, to continue to carry out tasks until the 2050s, challenging to become a 100-year-old “machine”.
According to reports, the U.S. Air Force selected Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of Raytheon, to design a new braking system for the B-52. The company’s vice president and general manager of military projects, landing and mechanical systems Maurer (Matthew Maurer) stressed that the use of DURACARB carbon material, can reduce the aircraft landing brake system to withstand high temperature damage, significantly enhance the life of the system, is expected to brake distance from the existing system of about 2,400 kilometers, to more than 20,000 kilometers.
The material has been used in the braking system of the U.S. Army’s C-130 transport aircraft, F-15 and F-16 warplanes. Collins Aero-Pacific did not disclose the value of the contract, but Maurer pointed out that the system is expected to complete development in 2023, and 2026 for the B-52 fleet before the change.
In addition, because the B-52 is currently using Pratt & Whitney TF33-P-3/103 engine is too old, and has even occurred while flying the dangerous situation of engine drop, the U.S. Air Force in 2020 has officially opened a bid to purchase 608 engines for the current fleet of 76 B-52s. Pratt & Whitney, Kiwi (General Electric) and Rolls-Royce (Rolls-Royce) and other major engine manufacturers have participated in the bidding, but due to the strict requirements of the U.S. Congress, the Air Force has not yet decided to win the bid manufacturers.
Although the U.S. Air Force B-1B and B-2 will be gradually retired as the new strategic bomber B-21 is about to be introduced, the two predecessors B-52 but due to lower operating costs, easy to upgrade the airframe refurbishment and other advantages, so the U.S. Air Force love it, continue to improve, to let it serve until the 2050s, the challenge to become 100 years old “machine Rui “.
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