Timing of B-52 engine upgrades may lead to higher costs and delays, GAO says

The Air Force’s plan to modernize its B-52 bombers with replacement engines before completing critical portions of developmental flight testing could lead to higher costs and project delays, according to a federal watchdog.

“The Air Force’s most expensive B-52 modernization effort, the Commercial Engine Replacement Program (CERP), will likely continue to face significant challenges as the Air Force plans to begin production with little to no developmental flight testing,” the Government Accountability Office said in a 61-page report released Friday.

That program — one of 13 separate initiatives planned for overhauling the Cold War-era fleet — will fit each bomber with military-configured commercial engines, as well as engine struts, electrical power generation systems and cockpit displays.

The Air Force aims to keep the fleet operational into the 2050s with the upgrades. The service operates 76 long-range B-52 Stratofortress bombers, which can carry nuclear or conventional weapons, according to the service’s website.

The Air Force is projected to spend $21 billion to modernize the bombers’ engines, radar, weapons systems and communications, the GAO said.

The modernization programs have collectively experienced cost estimate hikes, schedule delays and performance issues, according to the report.

The costs of engines and radar systems account for about 88% of the total cost, the report said.

“Both programs are at risk for additional cost, schedule, and performance challenges as they plan to begin production of modernization efforts about the same time developmental testing begins,” the report said. “As a result, both programs will have limited information to make a production decision.”

The cost estimates for the engine program have increased by 38% since 2018, while the program’s development start has been delayed by 32 months, the report said.

Air Force officials had initially planned to begin engine development in late 2023 but now anticipate that will not begin until later this year.

“Developmental flight testing is now expected to begin in the first quarter of fiscal year 2029 with initial operational capability projected to be achieved in 2033, representing a 4-year and almost 5-year delay respectively,” the report said. “These delays result in performance risk to the current fleet as the Air Force struggles with maintaining current engines.”

Faced with mounting delays, Air Force officials plan to begin both production of engines and developmental flight testing in late 2028.

“As a result, the program will begin building engines before it has conducted critical flight testing of the fully-integrated system — a B-52 with all engines, subsystems, and software installed — to ensure it meets warfighter needs,” the report said.

“This overlap between developmental testing and production — known as concurrency — significantly increases cost, schedule, and performance risks,” the GAO said. “Program officials said they recognize the risk in concurrency but believe that the risks in delaying production are greater given significant challenges maintaining the current B-52 engines.”

The GAO recommended that the Air Force delay engine production until the program office conducts an analysis that accounts for recent cost growth and schedule delays to better understand the risks and benefits associated with the timing of the engine production.