The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is one of the most famous military bombers of all time. It has served with the United States Air Force since 1955, and yet it is set to remain in service well into the 2050s. That would ensure the aircraft is flying 100 years after its very first flight. An achievement that pretty much no other aircraft has ever matched. Its one of the last of the true, heavy strategic bombers still flying in the world.
How the B-52 has kept flying is truly incredible. Thanks to a distinguished operational career, multiple upgrades and a lack of a suitable replacement, the B-52 has soldiered on. When the last B-52 is finally retired, the world will feel a very strange place. For many of us, the B-52 has been a constant in our lives.
The B-52 Has Proven Itself Multiple Times In Combat
The B-52 is one of those rare modern bombers that has seen service in multiple theaters of war. The aircraft were a vital part of the nuclear deterrent against the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Particularly as part of Operation Chrome Dome. The B-52s first major action in combat was in the Vietnam War. This is where B-52s would become famous for their carpet bombing campaigns. Particularly during Operation Linebacker II. Remarkably, tail gunners of B-52s were able to shoot down two MiG-21 Fishbeds during the conflict.
Vietnam would see the B-52s modernized with new weapons, equipment as well as defensive and offensive avionics. Remarkably, the B-52s were still in service during Operation Desert Storm. It was during this conflict that B-52s flying from Barksdale Air Force base in Louisiana set the record for the longest distance combat mission. A total of 45 hours, or a round trip of 14,000 miles. The B-52 saw action against Serb targets in March 1999, and it contributed to Operation Enduring Freedom. Over multiple conflicts, the B-52 has proven itself as a highly effective strategic bomber. And over the years, the aircraft has been extensively modernized to keep up with the pace.
Boeing Has Consistently Upgraded The B-52
Other air arms such as the Royal Air Force never upgraded their bombers like the Avro Vulcan. The last Vulcan retried from operational service in the 1980s, despite being roughly the same age as the B-52. The B-52 however has undergone multiple upgrades over the years, with the most recent upgrades coming in 2013 and 2015. Over the years, the B-52 has had new radar systems, engines, weapons and more. The US Air Force Research Lab is even investigating defensive laser weapons for the bomber. New engines from Rolls-Royce are also on the way.
Upgrades over the years have included the fitment of supersonic short-range nuclear missiles, new countermeasures such as the Phase VI ECM modification, and a new electro-optical viewing system. This helped to make the B-52s low-level operations and terrain avoidance as safe as possible. The B-52 has received yet more upgrades since then too. Two B-52s were also revived from the Arizona “bone yard” and are back in US Air Force service. This all begs the question though. What on earth could replace the B-52?
The Possible Replacements For The Boeing B-52
The US has had a hard time replacing the B-52. The supersonic Convair B-58 Hustler proved more expensive than intended and suffered multiple accidents throughout its service life. The XB-70 Valkyrie project never got beyond two prototypes. The Rockwell B-1B and Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit have both supplemented the B-52, not outright replaced it. The upcoming B-21 Raider from Northrop is the aircraft that in theory will finally replace the B-52. Even then, the B-52 is set to remain in service with the US Air Force until the 2050s.
So even as the original design approaches 100 years old, the Air Force will still be flying the venerable bomber. And throughout its entire lifetime, the aircraft has only ever served with the US Air Force. No other air arm has operated the B-52. That in itself is a remarkable achievement, and a rare feat for a military aircraft in service for so long.
The B-52 Is One Of The Greatest Bombers Of All Time
Thanks to its incredibly long service life and impressive military career, the B-52 will surely go down in history as a truly great bomber. More advanced aircraft have come and gone in the time that the B-52 has been serving with the USAF. The B-52 has outlived supersonic bombers, stealth bombers and more over the course of its service life. Yet here it is. Boeing and the US Air Force have done great continuing to upgrade the B-52 and showing that strategic bombers do still have a place in military air arms.
Sources: Boeing, US Air Force