The B-52 first entered service in 1955. The last one rolled off the production line in 1962. Yet the U.S. Air Force expects this Cold War bomber to keep flying into the 2050s.
To make that happen, the Air Force is spending more than $20 billion across 13 modernization programs to transform the B-52H into the B-52J. New Rolls-Royce F130 engines, an AESA radar, modern communications, and upgraded avionics are all intended to turn the BUFF from a traditional bomber into a long-range missile truck capable of carrying cruise missiles, anti-ship weapons, and nuclear stand-off weapons in future conflicts.
There’s just one problem.
Ten of the thirteen modernization programs have experienced cost growth, schedule delays, or performance issues. The two most important—the engine replacement and radar modernization efforts—have slipped by years, and the Air Force is now making difficult tradeoffs to keep the programs moving.
In this video, we break down:
-Why the B-52 is still so important
-How its mission has changed
-What’s behind the modernization delays
-And whether the Air Force can keep the BUFF flying into the middle of the century.
Recorded on: July 6, 2026
Written/Edited by: Kyle Gunn
Our story: https://taskandpurpose.com/news/air-force-b52-gao-delays/
TWZ story: https://www.twz.com/air/poor-b-52-readiness-creating-testing-challenges-for-new-agm-181a-nuclear-cruise-missile
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