Angeline Leishman
Collins Aerospace, a Raytheon Technologies business, has been tapped by Boeing to build a modern electric power generation system for the U.S. Air Force’s B-52 bombers.
EPGS will consist of eight generators to deliver electricity to B-52 systems and other upcoming upgrades while using less engine power than the aircraft’s current 70-year-old electric power technology, Raytheon said Tuesday.
It will support an ongoing Air Force modernization effort aimed at keeping the aging bombers operational through the 2050s. The service branch looks to enhance fuel efficiency by 30 percent while lowering the aircraft’s carbon dioxide emissions.
“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,” said Stan Kottke, vice president for electric power systems at Collins.
Collins, which is also the manufacturer of B-52’s new wheels and carbon brakes, will build EPGS at its Electric Power Systems Center of Excellence in Rockford, Illinois.
