US B-52 suffers engine fire, makes emergency landing.

A B-52H bomber made an emergency landing in North Dakota due to an engine fire in mid-air, likely suffering significant damage.

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

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

Images posted on social media by the Air Force Amn/Nco/Snco account that same day showed one of the B-52H's four engine assemblies severely damaged. The left engine casing had been removed or completely burned, while large amounts of fluid were leaking into the tank below. Firefighting foam covered the runway around the aircraft, and numerous fire trucks were also present nearby.

The scene of a B-52H bomber with a burning engine in North Dakota, USA, on February 23. Photo: Air Force Amn/Nco/Snco — The scene of a B-52H bomber with a burning engine in North Dakota, USA, 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 believe the fire will render the B-52H inoperable and require it to return to the factory for repairs.

This is the first time a B-52 bomber has experienced a serious engine failure at Minot Air Base. In 2017, a TF33 engine fell off a B-52 approximately 40 km from the base. It landed in an uninhabited area and caused no damage; the American aircraft also returned and landed safely.

Each B-52H bomber has been equipped with eight Pratt & Whitney TF33 engines since their introduction in the 1960s. This engine line is now outdated and inefficient; production closed in 1985, and maintenance costs have steadily increased, reaching $2 million per unit every 6,000 flight hours.

The U.S. Air Force is investing billions of dollars in efforts to maintain its fleet of 76 B-52H bombers, including replacing the TF33 engines with the more fuel-efficient Rolls-Royce F130 models that have significantly lower maintenance costs.

The project to replace the engines of the B-52H could begin in 2026 with two test aircraft, with ground and air testing expected to take place between 2028 and 2031. The US Air Force aims to replace all engines for the B-52H series before 2035, renaming them B-52J and continuing to use them until 2050.

Vu Anh (According to War Zone )

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