The B-52 may be nearly eighty years old, but the bomber continues to support the U.S. nuclear deterrence apparatus.
On the one-year anniversary of Sweden joining NATO last week, a pair of American B-52H bombers flew over the Scandinavian country as part of Bomber Task Force mission Viking Nebula. Notably, these strategic bombers carried out their first-ever live weapons drop in the country. Two Swedish JAS 39 Gripens flew alongside the Stratofortress bombers, signifying the collaboration of NATO members. The B-52 presence in the region extended through the week, culminating in a joint U.S.-Norwegian flyover over Norway, reinforcing the strategic partnership of the two nations. During this mission designated Bomber Task Force 25-2, an American B-52H Stratofortress flew alongside a pair of Royal Norwegian Air Force F-35 Lightning IIs. The B-52 may be nearing its eighth decade in service, but the legendary bomber continues to play a critical role in the U.S. nuclear deterrence apparatus. In fact, the Air Force is planning to keep the B-52 platform in service well into the middle of this century.
A Brief Overview of the B-52 Stratofortress
The original B-52A iteration was conceptualized following lessons learned in World War II. In the mid-1940s, the former Air Material Command recognized the requirement for a new bomber capable of conducting operations without needing to rely on bases abroad. Essentially, a long-range bomber platform. Several manufacturing giants, including Boeing, Consolidated Aircraft, and Glenn L. Martin Company proposed potential bomber prototypes capable of cruising at speeds of at least 300 miles per hour with combat radiuses of 5,000 miles. Eventually, Boeing’s prototype was declared the winner and would become the B-52 bomber we know today.
Over the next decade, the first B-52A iteration took to the skies, followed closely by the subsequent B variant one year later. In total, 744 B-52s were produced with the latest model being a B-52H which was delivered in the early 1960s. An additional dozen bombers were constructed but ultimately sent to the “boneyard” for early retirement. The remaining B-52H bombers were nicknamed the Buff (big, ugly, fat fellow) and remain the Air Force’s primary strategic nuclear and conventional weapons platform.
Over the years, the B-52H has undergone several major upgrades in order for the platform to retain an edge in modern threat environments. Perhaps the bomber’s greatest asset is its ordnance load. The B-52H can lug a weapons payload of more than 70,000 pounds. Notably, the Stratofortress can carry the widest array of weapons of any combat aircraft across the globe. From AGM-84 Harpoon missiles and AGM-129 advanced cruise missiles to joint direct-attack munitions and joint stand-off weapons, the B-52 is essentially a bomb truck in the skies. The upcoming B-52J variant is expected to top this weapons-load capability. According to Breaking Defense, the bomber will be able to carry the hypersonic attack cruise missile (HACM) down the line. This incredible cruise missile can travel at speeds in excess of Mach 5.0 (times the speed of sound) and can maneuver on the way to its target.
Even as China and Russia work to develop their own strategic bombers, matching the B-52’s capabilities will be tough for these U.S. adversaries.
About the Author: Maya Carlin
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin. Carlin has over 1,000 articles published over the last several years on various defense issues.
Image: DVIDS.
