It has formed the bedrock of America’s strategic bomber fleet for over sixty years: an unmatched, versatile endurance taskmaster. First flying in 1954, the B-52A initiated a bloodline that would develop into this powerful result: the still-in-service B-52H.
The B-52H Stratofortress is a multi-role, long-range, heavy bomber that can conduct missions from the battle line to strike a target a continent away. Capable of flying at high subsonic speeds and reaching altitudes of up to 50,000 feet, the aircraft boasts the capability to launch both nuclear and precision-guided conventional ordnance with global precision navigation. Such versatility has so far nailed this aircraft as the cornerstone of U.S. defense strategy, performing a variety of functions: strategic attacks, close-air support, air interdiction, offensive counter-air, and maritime operations.
During Operation Desert Storm, the B-52s dropped 40 percent of all coalition weapons but proved that a new role for this aircraft was ocean surveillance and anti-ship operations. The capability to control large areas of ocean surfaces be precise, as many as 140,000 square miles in two hours- obviously indicates the strategic capability of this aircraft.
Missions such as Desert Storm, Allied Force, and Enduring Freedom also furthered the combat capability of the B-52. During Operation Desert Strike, two B-52Hs undertook a 34-hour, 16,000-statute-mile round trip from Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, to Baghdad to strike power stations and communications facilities with 13 AGM-86C Conventional Air-Launched Cruise Missiles (CALCMs). For the time being, this mission constituted the longest distance flown for a combat mission.
Its flexibility in action again came into view during Operation Iraqi Freedom, where B-52Hs launched about 100 CALCMs in one night mission. In 2016, the B-52 returned to the Central Command area of responsibility, flying around 1,800 combat sorties against ISIS forces in Syria and Iraq, contributing much to the group’s decline.
The longevity of the B-52 is also a function of its solid design and the constant upgrade of technologies. Modern B-52s come equipped with advanced targeting pods, electro-optical viewing sensors, and night vision goggles, which enhance their combat effectiveness and situational awareness. The range of the aircraft is virtually unlimited when using aerial refueling; unrefueled combat range exceeds 8,800 miles.
Adding to the survivability and relevance of the B-52 is the work of the Air Force Global Strike Command’s A5N Division, also known as the Commercial Capabilities Integration and Transition Division, which has been instrumental in integrating advanced technologies from small businesses into the B-52’s systems. For instance, the high-speed satellite-transmitted communication technology provided by Outerlink Global Solutions has increased the B-52’s communications capability manifold.
Cooperation of CCIT with different entities from the Air Force has secured a significant amount of money for modernization related to the B-52s to keep it a viable element for the U.S. arsenal. To be precise, the division garnered contracts amounting to 240$ million for 70 modernization technologies while pending contracts are valued at 74.3$ million.
The Bombers Directorate, under the auspices of the Air Force Lifecycle Management Center, is playing an extremely important role in modernizing and sustaining the B-52 fleet. It hosts key activities that integrate new technologies into the B-52, with valued resources in keeping this aircraft relevant to meet emerging demands for combat.
Still flying well into the 21st century, the B-52 Stratofortress remains unchallenged in its position as a versatile and enduring symbol of American airpower. The ability of this bomber to accept new technologies and integrate them into its construction secures it as an irreplaceable element in the nation’s defense strategy for years to come.