CERP

The U.S. Air Force has issued a draft solicitation for the B-52J Commercial Engine Replacement Program (CERP) Production Modification Kits and Interim Contractor Support, opening the door to industry competition for one of the most consequential bomber modernization efforts in recent memory. Published on April 16, 2026, through the federal contracting website, the presolicitation marks a pivotal step toward awarding a long-duration supply contract that is expected to span ten years of production performance. The solicitation was issued by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center's Bomber Aircraft division, operating out of Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. Because the document is a draft released in accordance with regulatory procedures for industry engagement, no contract value has been disclosed at this stage. To give industry partners an opportunity to engage directly with the acquisition team, the Air Force has scheduled a two-day Industry Days event for May 12 and 13, 2026. The event will be held in person at Rose State College, located at 6420 SE 15th Street in Midwest City, Oklahoma, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Standard Time each day. The government has indicated it will brief attendees on technical requirements, the statement of work, and the anticipated acquisition schedule — and will hold one-on-one sessions with vendors upon request. Registration is limited to four representatives per company on a first-come, first-served basis, with a deadline of May 4, 2026. Companies that miss that registration cutoff will not be permitted to participate. The core requirement centers on the production of modification kits — organized as Kit Group A, Kit Group B, and Kit Group E — along with associated support, spares, support equipment, and data. The contract structure is an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity arrangement, with the government issuing delivery orders against the established contract line items over a multi-year ordering framework. A base period running from November 30, 2028, through November 29, 2032, covers the first four years of production, with options extending performance through at least a ninth and potentially a tenth year — meaning the full scope of the program could run through late 2037. The CERP program is the Air Force's effort to replace the aging Pratt & Whitney TF33 engines that have powered the B-52 Stratofortress for decades. The TF33, which entered service on the B-52 in the 1960s, has long been identified as a readiness liability due to its age, fuel inefficiency, and growing maintenance burden. The new engines — and the modification kits required to integrate them onto the airframe — represent one of the largest structural changes to the B-52 since the bomber was originally designed. The "J" designation applied to the modernized variant reflects the significance of the engine upgrade, effectively creating a new sub-variant of the iconic aircraft. The modification kits covered by this solicitation represent the physical hardware packages required to install and integrate the new propulsion system on the existing B-52 airframe. Kit Group A relates to airframe structural components — classified under Product Service Code 1560 — while Kit Group B covers aircraft engine accessories and related components under Product Service Code 1680. Kit Group E addresses miscellaneous aircraft accessories and components under Product Service Code 2995. These kits must be produced in quantity, stored, and delivered on a schedule aligned with the depot modification line at Tinker AFB, where aircraft will cycle through the re-engining process. The CERP program is widely considered the centerpiece of those efforts, given that propulsion system reliability and fuel consumption have direct bearing on mission availability and global reach. With the B-52 expected to remain in the active inventory through the 2050s, locking in a reliable engine supply chain and modification production capacity is a long-term institutional priority for Air Force Global Strike Command. The draft solicitation represents an early but significant marker in the CERP production contracting timeline, with award currently anticipated no earlier than November 2028 based on the performance period structure outlined in the document.

CERP

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CERP

U.S. Air Force launches B-52J upgrade kits for long-term bomber overhaul

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