US B-52 engine fire, emergency landing

A B-52H bomber made an emergency landing in North Dakota due to an engine fire in the air, and was likely severely damaged.

A B-52H strategic bomber encountered an accident and made an emergency landing at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota on February 23, but the information was only announced by US Air Force officials on February 26.

"No crew members were injured, and airport emergency personnel responded to the scene and quickly extinguished the fire. We are investigating the cause of the incident," the Minot base press office said in a statement.

Photos posted on social media by the Air Force Amn/Nco/Snco account on the same day showed one of the four engine clusters of the B-52H with severe damage. The left engine nacelle had been removed or completely burned, while a large amount of liquid was flowing into the tank below. Firefighting foam covered the runway around the plane, and several fire trucks were also nearby.

The scene of a B-52H bomber engine fire in the US state of North Dakota on February 23. Photo: Air Force Amn/Nco/Snco — The scene of a B-52H bomber engine fire in the US state of North Dakota on February 23. Photo: *Air Force Amn/Nco/Snco*

The US Air Force has not disclosed the extent of the damage to the aircraft, but military experts say the fire will cause the B-52H to lose its ability to operate and have to return to the factory for repairs.

This is the first time a B-52 bomber has suffered a serious engine failure at Minot Airport. In 2017, a TF33 engine fell off a B-52 about 40 kilometers from the base. It fell in a deserted area and caused no damage, and the US aircraft landed safely.

Each B-52H bomber has been equipped with eight Pratt & Whitney TF33 engines since they were first manufactured in the 1960s. These engines are outdated and have low performance, the production line has been closed since 1985 and maintenance costs are increasing, up to 2 million USD/unit after every 6,000 flight hours.

The US Air Force is investing billions of dollars in efforts to maintain the operation of its 76-plane fleet of B-52H aircraft, including replacing TF33 engines with Rolls-Royce F130 models with superior fuel efficiency and much lower maintenance costs.

The B-52H engine replacement project could begin in 2026 with two pilot aircraft, with ground and air testing scheduled for 2028-2031. The US Air Force aims to replace all engines on the B-52H series by 2035, renaming them B-52J and continuing to use them until 2050.

Vu Anh (According to War Zone )

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