INDIANAPOLIS - Rolls-Royce has completed altitude and operability testing for the F130 engine, advancing the U.S. Air Force’s B-52J Stratofortress Commercial Engine Replacement Program (CERP). The recent evaluations took place at the Arnold Engineering Development Complex in Tullahoma, Tennessee, where engineers validated the engine’s performance under simulated mission conditions.

The testing campaign included altitude evaluations to simulate long-duration strategic missions and operability tests using distortion screens to replicate turbulent airflow. Rolls-Royce also conducted Integrated Drive Generator testing alongside Boeing to verify the system's electrical power stability. According to Lt. Col. Timothy Cleaver, the Air Force program manager, the data gathered during this phase gives the service the confidence to proceed into test aircraft modification and upcoming flight testing. The program will next move to further system integration and dual-pod testing at NASA’s Stennis Space Center.

The F130 engine, a military derivative of the commercial BR725 business jet engine, is slated to replace the bomber fleet's aging Pratt & Whitney TF33 engines. Following the completion of the program's critical design review in late 2024, the F130 design features a fully interchangeable dual-pod configuration. This marks a shift from the aircraft's current left- and right-specific engine setup, a design change intended to simplify logistics and line maintenance. Once the testing phases conclude, Rolls-Royce will manufacture and assemble the engines at its facility in Indianapolis.

Source: Rolls-Royce
Associated URL: https://www.rolls-royce.com/media/press-releases/2026/24-02-2026-rr-completes-key-f130-altitude-and-operability-testing-advancing-us-air-force-b-52j-program.aspx

SAN DIEGO, CA - GE Aerospace and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. have won a joint U.S. Air Force contract for $12.4M to design an engine to power small Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). The USAF has prioritized the development of high performing and low-cost engines to enable the production of small CCAs to boost the firepower and reach of its combat aircraft fleet.

The initial phase of the program will complete the preliminary design of the GEK1500 engine to meet demanding performance requirements while achieving "aggressive" cost targets. The GEK1500 program is an outgrowth of Kratos' GEK800 cruise missile engine design, with lessons learned from recent GEK800 altitude testing to inform the design of the GEK1500 - improving thrust, power generation, and lifecycle costs. The GEK1500 is a 1,500-lb thrust jet engine that could potentially power unmanned aerial systems (UAS), collaborative combat aircraft (CCAs), and cruise missiles.

In June 2025, Kratos and GE Aerospace announced the signing of a formal teaming agreement to advance propulsion technologies for the next generation of affordable unmanned aerial systems and CCA-type aircraft. A second formal teaming agreement will cover development of the GEK1500.

This collaboration builds on a 2024 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to advance the development and production of small, cost-effective engines for unmanned platforms.

Source: GE Aerospace
Associated URL: https://www.geaerospace.com/news/press-releases/ge-aerospace-and-kratos-win-us-air-force-award-design-engine-expendable-combat

LONDON - Rolls-Royce is lobbying the UK government for taxpayer support to develop a new aircraft engine called the UltraFan 30, a project expected to cost around £3 billion in total. The company is asking for between £100 million and £200 million upfront to fund a demonstrator, and wants a commitment secured in the first half of this year.

CEO Tufan Erginbilgiç, a former BP executive who has led three years of restructuring at the company, has been personally involved in the push and has discussed the matter directly with Business Secretary Peter Kyle in recent weeks.

The UltraFan 30 is a scaled-down version of the UltraFan widebody engine design, on which Rolls-Royce has already spent over £500 million, and is designed to be 25% more efficient than the company's original Trent engines. The goal is to power next-generation narrow-body aircraft, a market Rolls-Royce abandoned more than a decade ago when it exited a partnership with Pratt & Whitney in 2013.

Rolls-Royce currently only builds civil engines for widebody airliners, but narrowbody planes like the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 Max represent the largest share of global civil aviation. Airbus and Boeing are expected to choose engines for their next-generation aircraft by the end of the decade.

The UK government is weighing several support options, including grants through the Aerospace Technology Institute, tapping the National Wealth Fund, offering launch aid, or even taking an equity stake in the project. ATI funding is considered complicated given the need to balance support for Rolls-Royce against competing demands from other aerospace players with UK operations, including Airbus and Safran. Germany, where Rolls-Royce also has significant operations, has separately expressed interest in co-funding the project.

Source: Financial Times
Associated URL: https://www.ft.com/content/b95f934d-07b1-4846-9444-7f253366b877