A US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress has completed a ferry flight to Edwards Air Force Base in California following the installation of a new modernised radar, a key milestone in the bomber’s long-term upgrade programme.
The aircraft flew from Boeing’s facility in San Antonio on 8 December after receiving an Active Electronically Scanned Array radar as part of the B-52 Radar Modernisation Programme. Test crews from the 49th Test Evaluation Squadron at Barksdale Air Force Base and the 419th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards carried out the transfer.
Ground and flight testing will now take place throughout 2026, ahead of a decision later in the year on moving the upgrade into full production. The new radar replaces the B-52’s ageing legacy system, which has become increasingly difficult to sustain, and provides improved all-weather navigation and targeting capability. The radar has been developed by Raytheon Technologies and integrated by Boeing. Similar systems are already in service on US Air Force F-15s and US Navy F/A-18s, offering improved reliability and ease of maintenance compared with older mechanically scanned radars.
US Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink said the flight marked an important step in sustaining the bomber force. He said the upgrade would allow the B-52 to remain a central element of US airpower and operate alongside next-generation platforms in the decades ahead. The radar programme forms part of a broader effort to extend the service life of the 76-strong B-52 fleet through to at least 2050. Planned upgrades also include new engines, avionics, crew compartments, communications systems and weapons integration, allowing the aircraft to continue performing both conventional and nuclear long-range strike missions.
U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff General Ken Wilsbach said the programme was about readiness and deterrence as well as technology, adding that the B-52 would continue to play a central role in global strike operations. Despite first entering service more than 65 years ago, the B-52 remains a cornerstone of US strategic airpower. The successful ferry flight of the first aircraft fitted with the new radar underlines the Air Force’s intent to keep the bomber operational and relevant well into the future.
Can someone please explain to me why this aircraft is still viable in this day and age…other than as a tool to deliver standoff weapons at standoff ranges?
Many thanks. AA
Because the USA would expect to have a good degree of Air Superiority / Dominance in any foreseeable conflict, in which the B52 would still be able to operate.
The days of doing an overflight bombing attack against a peer or near peer adversary are gone. It has a really large radar cross section and is easily detected and tracked. Meaning its potentially suicide for it to get anywhere near to an enemy’s border. However, as you alluded to the B52 makes for an excellent cruise missile carrier. With its near 31,000kg weapons payload, it can carry 20 air launched cruise missiles, including the latest JASSM-ER with a range of about 1000km. The B52 could carry Harpoons for anti-ship missions. But the B1 has taken over this mission using the LRASM. It has been used in the trials using the Quickstrike (JDAM with a seeker) bomb to sink ships. But with the new radar, it will have a better capability of detect ship from much further away, so perhaps it will get its anti-ship role back using the LRASM?
In an asymmetric conflict such as the recent Afghan one. A B52 can stay on station for 8 to 10 hours, probably more if needed. But they carry a mixed assortment of weapons including JDAM and LGB. As a JTAC, I think I used the B52s nearly as much as calling in Apaches to hit targets.
Thank you for that.
Sometimes you need an aircraft to just carry lots of ‘stuff’. We may have a decent stockpile of Stormshadow, but with barely 100 Tornado to carry them ( half of which might be on air defence duty) it would be a penny- packet delivery.
AA