When the B-52J becomes operational, it will provide the deterrence required to caution Chinese aggression.

American bomber fleets continue to make headlines this summer. Following the role of the B-2 Spirit in the high-stakes air campaign over Iran dubbed Operation Midnight Hammer in June, the Air Force’s B-52 aircraft are also gaining media headlines. Last month, a Bomber Task Force of multiple Stratofortress bombers was dispatched to Anderson Air Force Base in Guam to reinforce deterrence against the People’s Republic of China. The surprise deployment took place concurrently with the Resolute Forces Pacific (REFORPAC) exercise. According to a press release issued by the Air Force Global Strike Command, “This deployment is in support of Pacific Air Forces’ training efforts with Allies, partners, and joint forces and strategic deterrence missions to reinforce the rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific region.” The B-52 represents one of the service’s oldest bomber platforms. Despite the fact that the B-52 first took to the skies more than seven decades ago, the top-tier aircraft could continue to serve the Air Force into the mid-21st century.

Introducing the Stratofortress

The Boeing B-52 bomber has an extensive history of flying for the Air Force. Conceptualized during the tail-end of World War II, the legendary bomber was designed to fulfill the needs of the former Air Materiel Command. Specifically, the service required a platform capable of carrying out long-range missions without needing to rely upon intermediate bases controlled by foreign nations. By the end of the decade, Boeing proposed a conventional aircraft that would feature then-new technologies, like the flying wing and aerial refueling. Ultimately, the platform was redesigned as a four-engine turbojet bomber.

The B-52 Over the Years

Upgrade packages are required for a bomber platform to remain relevant and in service for the length of time of the Stratofortress. Over the years, several new B-52 iterations were produced, all retaining enhanced capabilities that would allow the bomber to maintain its role with the Air Force. Perhaps the first key upgrade incorporated into the bomber occurred in the early 2000s. At this time, Boeing was awarded a contract to develop a combat network communications technology program to enable network-centric operational capability. Known as CONECT, this key feature was added to the B-52 series in addition to the inclusion of a larger arms-carrying capacity. As detailed by Air Force Technology, the B-52H can carry more than 70,000 pounds of diverse weapons. Notably, this Stratofortress iteration can carry AGM-84 Harpoon missiles, AGM-86A air-launched cruise missiles, Joint Direct Attack Munitions, and numerous other weapons.

When the B-52J variant enters service, it will serve as the most advanced Stratofortress to ever fly the skies. The bomber’s engines will be replaced with new Rolls-Royce-designed F130 engines. This upgrade, known as the Commercial Engine Replacement Program, will give the platform the edge it needs to remain relevant in the modern era. In addition to its new engines, the B-52J model will receive enhanced radar, avionics, and the Long-Range Standoff weapon. When the B-52J reaches operational capacity, it will provide the deterrence required to caution Chinese aggression.

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 bylines in many publications, including The National Interest, The Jerusalem Post, and The Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.

Image: DVIDS.

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