Boeing Wins $750M to Support the B-52H Fleet

B-52H and B-17:only as old as I feel…(click to view full) In June 2009, the US Air Force is replaced Boeing’s existing fleet support contract for the USA’s B-52 heavy bomber fleet, with a 10-year, $750 million firm-fixed-price Engineering Sustainment Program (ESP) contract. All of the USAF’s 94 remaining B-52Hs were built at and delivered from Boeing’s Wichita, KS facility, and the ESP contract will support about 150 Boeing jobs. Under the ESP contract, Boeing employees in Wichita, KS; Oklahoma City, OK; and at Barksdale AFB in Shreveport, LA will maintain the fleet’s readiness, handle and maintain the aircrafts’ engineering data, conduct related analyses and tests, investigate deficiencies or field issues, provide in-flight emergency response support, and perform required hardware and software modernization and upgrade work. Unfortunately, key upgrades like fleet replacing the ancient JT3D/TF33 turbofans to improve fuel consumption, maintenance, and efficiency have failed to materialize over the years. Nevertheless… B-52H: gas guzzler(click to view full) Despite its poor fuel economy, the B-52 fleet’s availability, long time on station, and large bomb loads of precision weapons have allowed it to retain a prominent role in modern low-intensity conflicts. Modifications and upgrades continue, in order to keep the B-52s relevant […]