USAF engine programmes tell a contrasting story
The General Electric Passport engine is a competitor for the Air Force’s CERP requirement. (Photo: General Electric)
A winning bidder has been chosen to implement the B-52H Commercial Engine Replacement Program — but a plan to re-engine the F-35A has encountered technical and affordability issues.
The USAF on 24 September picked Rolls-Royce as the winning bidder for the Commercial Engine Replacement Program (CERP) for the Boeing B-52H Stratofortress bomber aircraft.
In contrast, the USAF still has to decide on its direction of travel in the Adaptive Engine Technology Program (AETP) for the F-35.
The choice in CERP was between General Electric (GE) with its CF34 and Passport engines, Rolls-Royce with the F130 and Pratt & Whitney (P&W) with the PW800. A selection was ‘imminent’ and likely to take place within the next month, Lt Gen Duke Richardson, the senior uniformed acquisition officer in the USAF, said on
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
Read this Article
Get access to this article with a Free Basic Account
- Original curated content, daily across air, land and naval domains
- 2 free stories per week
- Daily news round-up email service
- Access to all Decisive Edge email newsletters
Unlimited Access
Access to all our premium news as a Premium News 365 Member. Corporate subscriptions available.
- Original curated content, daily across air, land and naval domains
- 14-day free trial (cancel at any time)
- Unlimited access to all published premium news
More from Air Warfare
-
![Anduril to supply loitering munitions to Ukraine with UK funding]()
Anduril to supply loitering munitions to Ukraine with UK funding
Since July 2024, the UK Government has provided more than £5.26 billion in support to Ukraine, including £3 billion in annual military aid and a £2.26 billion loan for defence spending. The latest deal will see Anduril supply Altius-600M and Altius-700M loitering munitions.
-
![Will tomorrow’s US Air Force fleet be pilotless?]()
Will tomorrow’s US Air Force fleet be pilotless?
The US Air Force has been showing an increasing interest in adding trusted uncrewed capabilities to its aircraft inventory.
-
![Boeing delivers last Apache AH-64E Guardian attack helicopter to British Army]()
Boeing delivers last Apache AH-64E Guardian attack helicopter to British Army
The helicopters have been remanufactured using common parts from the British Army AH-64 MkI fleet with the 17 not being converted going for a range of uses such as engineering, ground handling and other training.
-
![Initial flight testing completed of LRASM anti-ship missile on F-35]()
Initial flight testing completed of LRASM anti-ship missile on F-35
The AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) is a precision-guided, anti-ship standoff missile based on the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range (JASSM-ER). It is being developed to meet US requirements and in 2020 the sale was approved to Australia of up to 200 LRASM for an estimated cost of US$990 million.
