Rolls-Royce completes key B-52J engine altitude testing

Rolls-Royce has completed altitude and operability testing of its F130 engine as part of the programme to re-engine the U.S. Air Force’s B-52J Stratofortress bomber fleet, the company announced.

The tests were carried out at the U.S. Air Force’s Arnold Engineering Development Complex in Tennessee, where Rolls-Royce engineers worked alongside Air Force personnel to validate engine performance under demanding mission conditions.

The campaign included altitude testing to demonstrate performance during sustained high-altitude operations, operability testing using distortion screens to replicate turbulent airflow, and Integrated Drive Generator testing with Boeing to confirm stable electrical power generation during missions.

“We are proud to deliver another milestone for our F130 engine testing program, on-time and on-budget, for the Air Force,” said Jennifer Schwerin, Director of Early Life Cycle and Naval Programs at Rolls-Royce Defence. “Working closely with our partners at Boeing and the Air Force, our team has demonstrated the F130’s ability to meet mission requirements and further strengthened confidence that this engine is the right choice for the B-52J.”

Lt. Col. Timothy Cleaver, U.S. Air Force programme manager for the B-52 Commercial Engine Replacement Program, said the tests provided valuable data across the engine’s operating envelope. “Throughout this F130 engine test campaign, we gathered essential data about how this engine operates across the full spectrum of flight conditions,” he said. “Completing the series of tests at AEDC’s world-class facility gives us confidence in the engine and associated systems as we proceed into test aircraft modification and flight testing.”

The milestone follows the programme’s Critical Design Review completed in late 2024, which cleared the way for construction of the first flight-test engines. Earlier testing included sea-level trials in Indianapolis and “rapid twin-pod” tests at NASA’s Stennis Space Center to validate the engine’s configuration for the B-52’s twin-engine pod arrangement.

The programme will now move into further system integration and additional dual-pod testing before flight trials begin. The F130, derived from the BR725 commercial engine family, is intended to provide improved reliability, simplified logistics and reduced maintenance for the long-serving B-52 fleet. Rolls-Royce plans to manufacture, assemble and test the engines at its Indianapolis facility once production begins.