U.S Airforce has started upgrading its KC-135 Tanker aircraft's fuel guzzling engines with fuel efficient F108 engines made by CFM. ...
Airmen installed the first of 1,440 upgraded Strato tanker engines at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, on Jan. 15.
The 1970s engine parts will be replaced with modern engines that burn less fuel and run longer without repairs, officials said.
"We expect the engine to stay on wing for 20-plus years and take the KC-135 into retirement," said Senior Master Sgt. Dong Kim, Air Mobility Command's propulsion branchchief.
Mounting the CFM Propulsion Upgrade Program on KC-135 and Navy E-6B Mercury culminates almost three years of work between Air Mobility Command, Air Force Material Command, the Navy and the original equipment manufacturer, CFM International.
The C-PUP engine delivered to MacDill AFB is the first of 15 that will be delivered by General Electric Aviation under anF108 engine augmentation contract.
The refurbished engines upgrade the high pressure compressor and turbine sections of the KC-135's F108 engine, a military variant of the CFM56-2 engine.
More than half of the engines on the KC-135 have not seen depot rework since they were initially installed; somedating back to 1984.
The engine depot at Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex expects to deliver the first organically produced C-PUP engine later this year and is planning to produce 120 annually. The upgrade effort is projected to take 12 years to complete and will affect 1,440 engines, according to officials.
CFM56 engine is used to power a variety of U.S. and foreign military aircrafts.
The CFM56-2B engine (USAF military designation: F108) is manufactured by a 50/50 joint company of GE and Snecma (Safran group), CFM engines provide a vital link in the Tanker-Transport fleet by providing the proven source of power for Air Mobility Command, Air Combat Command, Air National Guard and Reserve missions.
The US Military is the largest CFM operator in the world.
Following the success of the CFM56-2C with the re-engining of DC-8 jetliners, the U.S. Air Force chose the same basic engine to re-engine the existing Boeing KC-135 tanker.
The first USAF KC-135R was delivered in July 1984 and had the last originally installed engine changed in April 2010.
The CFM56-2A and CFM56-2B engines now power several applications around the world ranging from tankers and transports, KC-135R and KE-3, to surveillance and command and control applications, such as the RC-135, E-3 AWACS, and the E6B Mercury.
The US Navy CFM56-2A holds the military world record for time on wing.
CFM engines provide reduced takeoff roll, added thrust and increased fuel efficiency. CFM56 power also provides lower fuel burn for extended range, as well as increased time-on-station, payload and tanker offload capability.
Building on the strong foundation of success, CFM56 engines stand ready to power future critical missions well into the 21st century. CFM56-7B engines power the USAF and USN C-40s, Boeing's 737 AEW&C, and P-8 Poseidon.
The Boeing P-8 (based on the Next-Generation 737) will be used for anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, replacing current aircraft that average 30 years of age.
