American Military News by Matthew Kelly - The Wichita Eagle April 26, 2022
Boeing has selected Spirit Aerosystems to provide engine parts for a round of upgrades that will help keep B-52 bombers in the sky through at least 2050.
Spirit will provide engine pylons and nacelle assemblies for the Boeing effort, which aims to replace 608 engines on the U.S. Air Force fleet of 76 B-52H Stratofortress planes.
“We are very pleased Boeing selected Spirit to be the structures partner on the B-52 [Commercial Engine Replacement Program] taking advantage of decades of experience and capabilities building engine struts and nacelles in Wichita,” Duane Hawkins, Spirit’s president of defense and space, said in a news release.
Officials last week would not provide a dollar value for the multi-year defense contract. They said they don’t expect the program to create new jobs in Wichita, although that could change as production ramps up.
Wichita has played a major role in B-52 production from their first flight in 1952. All B-52H models were built by Boeing at the south Oliver plant now operated by Spirit. Boeing has continued to provide support and upgrades on the fleet in the years since.
More:
https://americanmilitarynews.com/2022/04/boeing-looks-to-spirit-for-b-52-engine-upgrades-to-keep-bombers-flying/
