Connecticut Air National Guardsmen with the 103rd Maintenance Squadron at Bradley ANG Base completed overhauling the 100th A-10 TF-34 turbofan engine since the centralized repair facility began operations there in May 2007. They reached the milestone in mid October, announced unit officials on Nov. 23. “It took two and a half years to complete the first 50 engines, but only 17 months to complete the second 50,” said CMSgt. Gerardo Apruzzese, TF-34 CRF aerospace propulsion shop chief. He added, “This achievement not only validates the consistent solid performance by CRF personnel . . . but also the positive impact training, experience, and process improvement have had on the timeline of each engine overhauled.” The CRF, now in a new state-of-the-art building, performs immediate-level maintenance on TF-34s for active duty and Air Guard A-10 units. It currently overhauls the engines at a rate of 3.4 per month.
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
