As part of the U.S. Air Force’s ongoing modernization efforts to keep the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bomber flying into the 2050s, Boeing has selected Collins Aerospace, a Raytheon Technologies company, to upgrade the aircraft with a new electric power generation system (EPGS). This will contribute to the U.S. Air Force’s goal of a 30 percent improvement in fuel efficiency for the B-52 along with a decrease in carbon dioxide emissions. Collins will supply a modern EPGS derived from industry-leading commercial technology. The new EPGS will be an upgrade to the B-52’s current 70-year-old system, with more efficient technology that requires less power from the engine to operate.
The new EPGS will include eight generators per aircraft providing the added redundancy in onboard electrical power necessary to support future B-52 modernization upgrades including radar, avionics and mission systems. Collins has also been selected to provide new wheels and carbon brakes for the B-52. The company currently supplies several systems for the aircraft and is actively working with the Air Force and the plane’s manufacturer to explore how it can support further B-52 modernization efforts, including communications and avionics upgrades. Collins expects to create more than 60 jobs to support the B-52 EPGS program at its Electric Power Systems Center of Excellence in Rockford, Illinois.
“Collins Aerospace is a leading provider of electric power systems for military platforms and the supplier of choice for virtually all U.S. Air Force aircraft,” said Stan Kottke, vice president, Electric Power Systems for Collins Aerospace. “Our new EPGS for the B-52 will leverage proven commercial technology to support greener aircraft operation while also paving the way for future platform enhancements that will extend the operational service life of the Stratofortress for decades to come.”
Collins Aerospace, a unit of Raytheon Technologies Corp. (NYSE: RTX), is a leader in technologically advanced and intelligent solutions for the global aerospace and defense industry. Collins Aerospace has the extensive capabilities, comprehensive portfolio and broad expertise to solve customers’ toughest challenges and to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving global market. Raytheon Technologies Corporation is an aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services for commercial, military and government customers worldwide. With 195,000 employees and four industry-leading businesses ? Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, Raytheon Intelligence & Space and Raytheon Missiles & Defense ? the company delivers solutions that push the boundaries in avionics, cybersecurity, directed energy, electric propulsion, hypersonics, and quantum physics. The company, formed in 2020 through the combination of Raytheon Company and the United Technologies Corporation aerospace businesses, is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.
