The B-52H is the US Air Force’s (USAF) long-range, large-payload multirole bomber, commonly known as the Stratofortress or the Buff (big ugly fat fellow). The bomber serves as the USAF’s principal strategic nuclear and conventional weapons platform.
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bomber celebrated its 50th anniversary (first flight April 1952) in April 2002, making it the longest-serving combat aircraft in the world, with a total of 744 built. The B-52H entered service in 1961, with 104 units built. The last was delivered in October 1962.
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The USAF retired 18 B-52H aircraft, leaving 76 bombers in service, stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base (AFB), Louisiana, and Minot AFB in North Dakota. These aircraft are stored in a hangar at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma, in case they are needed in the future.
The first aircraft was retired in July 2008. All B-52s were transferred from Air Combat Command (ACC) to the Air Force Global Strike Command in 2010.
The USAF is re-engining its B-52 fleet under the Commercial Engine Re-engining Programme, with the re-engined fleet expected to achieve initial operational capability by 2025.
Due to extensive system and structural upgrades, the B-52’s service life is expected to continue beyond 2040.
B-52H Stratofortress multirole bomber design and features
The B-52H is a very large aircraft, with a length of 159.4ft (48.5m). It weighs approximately 83,250kg with a maximum take-off weight is 488,000lb (220,000kg).
The all-metal skin of the aircraft bears a high proportion of flight loading. When on the ground, the forward section of the fuselage appears wrinkled, but the skin expands and smooths out as the crew compartment pressurises when the aircraft gains altitude.
B-52H engineering sustainment programme
In October 2007, Boeing partnered with Northrop Grumman to develop a new electronic attack capability for the B-52, the B-52H core component jammer (CCJ) programme. Boeing was awarded a USAF contract in June 2008 to develop the technologies required for the CCJ programme.
The USAF awarded a $750m, ten-year engineering sustainment programme (ESP) contract to Boeing in June 2009 to provide engineering and technical support services for the B-52H and its components, as well as support and test equipment, and a system integration laboratory.
Boeing was awarded a $70m contract by the Pentagon in August 2009 to upgrade the communications system of the B-52H bomber aircraft.
In September 2009, the USAF awarded a $5.4m contract to Boeing to install an advanced satellite communication system on the B-52H.
A $22m contract was awarded to Boeing in January 2010 under the ESP to provide engineering services to the B-52H, followed by a second $21.7m contract in February 2011 to continue supporting the B-52H Stratofortress bomber.
In June 2023, Boeing initiated upgrades to the radar system of the B-52 bombers as part of the B-52 Radar Modernisation Programme (RMP).
B-52 CONECT programme
In April 2005, the USAF awarded Boeing a contract for the system design and development (SDD) of the B-52 combat network communications technology (CONECT) programme, which provides the aircraft network-centric operations capability.
CONECT includes new computer architecture and colour displays, a Link 17 tactical datalink and an advanced wideband terminal, which allows the dynamic retasking of missions and weapons during flight and provides increased situational awareness. The SDD phase was completed in early 2009.
In August 2009, Boeing delivered the B-52H upgraded with CONECT to the USAF, with the first flight test carried out in January 2010 at Edwards AFB.
In December 2011, Boeing announced that all flight testing required for the B-52 CONECT programme to attain low-rate initial production clearance from the USAF was carried out at Edwards AFB. Milestone C authorisation for the LRIP was achieved in 2012.
Boeing B-52H Stratofortress weapons payload
The B-52H, with a weapons payload of more than 70,000lb, is capable of carrying the most diverse range of weapons of any combat aircraft. Its nuclear weapons capacity includes 12 AGM-129 advanced cruise missiles, 20 AGM-86A air-launched cruise missiles and eight bombs.
The conventional weapons payload includes eight AGM-84 Harpoon missiles, four AGM-142 Raptor missiles, 51,500lb bombs, 301,000lb bombs, 20 AGM-86C conventional air-launched cruise missiles, 12 joint stand-off weapons (JSOW), 12 joint direct-attack munitions and 16 wind-corrected munitions dispensers (WCMD). The B-52H can also deliver 51,500lb, 301,000lb and 202,000lb navy mines.
WCMDs were first deployed by the B-52 in 2002 in Afghanistan. JSOWs entered service in 2003 and were deployed during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
In June 2006, Boeing was awarded a contract for the B-52 smart weapons integration next-generation, to support the integration of future weapon systems such as Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM), extended-range, small diameter bomb and boost-phase interceptor until 2020.
In October 2006, Boeing announced that the B-52 could carry 32 small-diameter bombs on the common strategic rotary launcher in the bomb bay.
During Operation Iraqi Freedom in April 2003, the B-52 was fitted with the Northrop Grumman Litening II laser targeting pod, which was used to strike targets in Northern Iraq. In 2007, the USAF began fitting the Litening to the B-52 fleet.
The B-52 is also equipped with the Lockheed Martin Sniper ATP advanced targeting pod. By December 2009, the Sniper demonstrated its capability to operate on B-52H aircraft.
Boeing was awarded an eight-year, $11.9bn contract by the USAF in September 2010 to overhaul B-52H weapons systems.
B-52H Stratofortress bomber countermeasures
The B-52H Stratofortress is equipped with a wide range of electronic warfare equipment. The ITT AN/ALQ-172(V)2 electronic countermeasures system features multi-band threat recognition and multiple threat jamming capabilities. The AN/ALR-20A radar warning system detects and prioritises multiple threats.
The Northrop Grumman (Litton) AN/ALR-46 digital warning receiver detects radar emissions in the 2GHz to 18GHz band and can simultaneously identify up to 16 radar signals. Northrop Grumman’s AN/ALQ-155 jammer power management system provides 360° coverage in D, E, F, G and H radar bands.
The bomber is also equipped with a Motorola AN/ALQ-122 multiple false target generator, an AN/ALT-32 noise jammer and a Northrop Grumman AN/ALQ-153 tail warning set, which is a pulse Doppler threat warner.
In addition, 12 AN/ALE-20 infrared flare dispensers and eight launchers for the AN/ALE-24 chaff dispenser are fitted.
B-52 electro-optical viewing system
Under the nose section, there are the steerable chin turrets for the AN/ASQ-151 electro-optical viewing system (EVS), which consist of the Raytheon AN/AAQ-6 forward-looking infrared in the starboard turret and a Northrop Grumman AN/AVQ-22 low-light-level television camera in the port turret.
The images from the EVS are displayed on monochrome screens on the flight deck and on the lower deck.
Offensive avionics system
The AN/ASQ-176 offensive avionics system (OAS) includes a Northrop Grumman strategic radar, a Honeywell radar altimeter, a Smiths attitude heading and reference system, Tercom terrain comparison, a Teledyne Ryan Doppler navigation radar, a Honeywell AN/ASN-131 inertial navigation system and an IBM/Raytheon AN/ASQ-38 bombing and navigation system.
In January 2000, Boeing received a $108m contract from the USAF to upgrade the OAS. The B-52 avionics midlife improvement (AMI) programme replaces the INS with the SNU-84 INS and provides open-architecture avionics computers with faster processors and a new data transfer system.
Flight testing of the AMI began in December 2002, and more than 20 AMI kits were delivered to the USAF for installation by field teams.
B-52H Pratt & Whitney TF33-P-3 turbofan engines
The B-52H Stratofortress has eight Pratt & Whitney TF33-P-3 turbofan engines, each providing more than 17,000lb of thrust. The aircraft has ten internal plus two external fuel tanks with a capacity of more than 181,000l, which provides an unrefuelled range of more than 8,600 miles (13,840km). The operational range with one air refuelling is 7,500nm.
The turbofan engines extend the unrefuelled range and give the aircraft the capability to strike a target located anywhere on earth from a continental US base with a single refuelling.
Performance
B-52H Stratofortress can climb at the rate of 31.85m/s. The maximum speed is 1,000km/h. The range and service ceiling of the B-52H are 15,937km and 15,151m respectively.
The aircraft can reach a maximum altitude of 15,240m.
B-52H Stratofortress bomber contracts
In October 2011, the USAF awarded a firm-fixed-price contract worth $45m to Radant Technologies to supersede the radomes of its Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bombers as part of the Radome Replacement Programme (RRP) undertaken by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA).
Rolls-Royce was awarded a $2.6bn contract by the USAF in September 2021 to deliver 608 F-130 engines to replace the ageing TF33 engines on B-52s, under the CERP (commercial engine replacement programme). Boeing will be responsible for integrating the engines into the aircraft.
Spirit AeroSystems secured a contract from Boeing to supply engine pylons and nacelles for the initial phase of the B-52 CERP programme in April 2022.
In June 2024, L3Harris Technologies secured a $34m contract from the USAF to upgrade the B-52 Stratofortress bomber. The award is part of the Air Force’s Global Strike Command B-52 Quad Crew Programme, which aims to combine the roles of the electronic warfare officer and navigator into a single position.
