Meanwhile, the Air Force had also issued a requirement for a version with a much longer 1,500 nautical miles (2,800 km; 1,700 mi) range. The B-52 bomber Stratofortress is the oldest strategic bomber in USAF arsenal, but this 60-year-old bomber remains a vital part of America’s nuclear deterrent. ", https://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/history/where_are_they_now/B-52B_008.html, http://www.thenorthspin.com/news08/050908tns.html, "Crash Site of a B-52 Bomber, East of Trans-Canada Highway near Morrill Siding. [11] The aircraft was to have a crew of five or more turret gunners, and a six-man relief crew. [5], Even with the SLEP (service life extension program), the remaining AGM-86s were to reach their end of service by 2020, leaving the B-52 without a nuclear mission. Two bombers will have the ability to carry 40 weapons in place of the 36 that three B-52s can carry. The first phase will allow a B-52 to carry twenty-four GBU-38 500-pound guided bombs or twenty GBU-31 2,000-pound bombs, with later phases accommodating the JASSM and MALD family of missiles. [142][Note 4]. [163], B-52s were employed during the Battle of Ia Drang in November 1965, notable as the aircraft's first use in a tactical support role. By this time, the Air Force was developing a replacement for the B-52 known as the B-70 Valkyrie. [227] The B-52 had the highest mission capable rate of the three types of heavy bombers operated by the USAF in the 2000–2001 period. The B-52 production line switched in turn to the B-52E, with a new navigation and weapon system, to the B-52F, with an improved engine. Quail, originally designed for the high-altitude mission, was modified with the addition of a barometric altimeter to allow it to fly at lower altitudes. "[91], In September 2006, the B-52 became one of the first US military aircraft to fly using alternative fuel. It improved the aircraft's self-protection capability in the dense Soviet air defense environment. [16][17], Type of Air-to-ground strategic cruise missile, CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (, United States tri-service rocket designations post-1963, AIM-120B/C Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), "ЗЕНИТНЫЙ РАКЕТНЫЙ КОМПЛЕКС 9К330 "ТОР" (SA-15 Gauntlet)", Air Force Next-Generation Bomber: Background and Issues for Congress, page 8, "USAF Outlines Nuke Weapon Inventory Modernization", "Air Force plans two-year delay in developing new Cruise Missile", "B-2 Stealth Bomber To Carry New Nuclear Cruise Missile", USAF's LRSO missile may reach IOC around 2030, USAF delays LRSO again, this time by three years - 3/13/2014 - Flight Global, "GOP Defense Bill Pushes Back Against Proposed Nuclear-Modernization Delays", Long-Range Standoff Missile Development Pushed Back By Three Years, "Lockheed, Raytheon receive contracts for nuclear cruise missile", "History in the making: final CALCM missile package retired", Conventional Air-Launched Cruise Missile Ends Service, Designation Systems' Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles: AGM-86, Global Security's AGM-86C/D Conventional Air Launched Cruise Missiles, 1963 United States Tri-Service missile and drone designation system, AC-130H/U/J/W Spectre/Spooky II/Ghostrider/Stinger II, MC-130E/H/J/P Combat Talon I/Combat Talon II/Commando II/Combat Shadow, RC-135S/U/V/W COBRA BALL/Combat Sent/Rivet Joint, AGM-84H/K Standoff Land Attack Missile - Expanded Response, AGM-86B/C/D Air-Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM), AGM-88A/B/C High-speed Anti-radiation Missile (HARM), AGM-114 Hellfire Air-to-Surface Missile (ASM), AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Stand-off Missile (JASSM), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=AGM-86_ALCM&oldid=997097283, Nuclear cruise missiles of the United States, Cold War air-to-surface missiles of the United States, CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, 1,715 (AGM-86B), 239 (AGM-86C), 50 (AGM-86D), AGM-86B (1982), AGM-86C (1991), AGM-86D (2001), This page was last edited on 30 December 2020, at 00:19. When the fighter drew within range, Turner fired his quad (four guns on one mounting) .50 caliber machine guns. The first two prototypes, XB-52 and YB-52, were both powered by experimental Pratt & Whitney YJ57-P-3 turbojet engines of 8,700 lbf (38.70 kN) of static thrust each. The power requirements of Phase VI ECM also consumed most of the excess electrical capacity on the B-52G. 19, No. [197][222][223][224][Note 7], The USAF continues to rely on the B-52 because it remains an effective and economical heavy bomber in the absence of sophisticated air defenses, particularly in the type of missions that have been conducted since the end of the Cold War against nations with limited defensive capabilities. [84] The tail gunner in early model B-52s was located in the traditional location in the tail of the plane, with both visual and radar gun laying systems; in later models the gunner was moved to the front of the fuselage, with gun laying carried out by radar alone, much like the B-58 Hustler's tail gun system. Zamorano, Marti, "B-52 synthetic fuel testing: Center commander pilots first Air Force B-52 flight using solely synthetic fuel blend in all eight engines. Since the mid-1990s, the B-52H has been the only variant remaining in military service;[Note 6] it is currently stationed at: From 2 to 3 September 1996, two B-52Hs conducted a mission as part of Operation Desert Strike. In the early 1960s, the Air Force began to question the usefulness of Quail in the face of improving Soviet defenses. The DSB urged the Air Force to re-engine the aircraft without delay,[125] saying doing so would not only create significant cost savings, but reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase aircraft range and endurance; these conclusions were in line with the conclusions of a separate Congress-funded study conducted in 2003. It entered operational use on the B-52H in August 1981 and became its primary weapon in December 1982. ", "Why Can't the Air Force Build an Affordable Plane? [175] The MiG exploded aft of the bomber,[174] as confirmed by Master Sergeant Louis E. Le Blanc, the tail gunner in a nearby Stratofortress. [174], On 24 December 1972, during the same bombing campaign, the B-52 Diamond Lil was headed to bomb the Thái Nguyên railroad yards when tail gunner Airman First Class Albert E. Moore spotted a fast-approaching MiG-21. [70][71] Production ended in 1962 with the B-52H, with 742 aircraft built, plus the original two prototypes. Why? [99] The navigational capabilities of the B-52 were later augmented with the addition of GPS in the 1980s. [128][129][130] On 23 April 2020 the USAF released its request for proposals for 608 commercial engines plus spares and support equipment, with the plan to award the contract in May 2021. ", "Last B-52G eliminated under nuclear arms treaty", "A roaring farewell at Wurtsmith air base. [141] In a demonstration of the B-52's global reach, from 16 to 18 January 1957, three B-52Bs made a non-stop flight around the world during Operation Power Flite, during which 24,325 miles (21,145 nmi, 39,165 km) was covered in 45 hours 19 minutes (536.8 smph) with several in-flight refuelings by KC-97s. The air-launched cruise missile had become operational four years earlier, in December 1982. [131], Although the B-52A was the first production variant, these aircraft were used only in testing. Either change would make it too large to fit on the SRAM launchers, and more annoyingly, the extended-fuselage version would be too large to fit in the bomb bay of the new B-1 Lancer bomber. Possible contender engines to replace the TF33 including the General Electric CF34, the General Electric Passport, the Pratt & Whitney PW815 and the Rolls-Royce BR725. [188][verification needed], After the fall of the Soviet Union, all B-52Gs remaining in service were destroyed in accordance with the terms of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START). The fleet of D models stayed largely intact until late 1978, when 37 not already upgraded Ds were retired. The ALCM traces its history to the ADM-20 Quail missile, which began development in February 1956. [76], Weapons upgrades include the 1760 Internal Weapons Bay Upgrade (IWBU), which gives a 66 percent increase in weapons payload using a digital interface (MIL-STD-1760) and rotary launcher. Quail was designed in the mid-1950s when the normal attack profile for a strategic bomber was to fly as high and fast as possible in order to reduce the time the defenders had to respond to the aircraft before it flew out of range. Post-strike assessment by teams of South Vietnamese troops with American advisors found evidence that the Viet Cong had departed from the area before the raid, and it was suspected that infiltration of the south's forces may have tipped off the north because of the South Vietnamese Army troops involved in the post-strike inspection. [209][210], From the 1980s B-52Hs were modified to use Harpoons in addition to a wide range of cruise missiles, laser- and satellite-guided bombs and unguided munitions. The careful arrangement of the pylons also allowed them to work as wing fences and delay the onset of stall. The program was revived in 2007, and cut again in early 2009. The Navy was also in the midst of its own cruise missile project, the Sea-Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM), which ultimately emerged as the BGM-109 Tomahawk, which was similar to ALCM in many ways. [198] However, the U.S. Air Force disputes this claim, stating the bomber was actually hit by friendly fire, an AGM-88 High-speed, Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) that homed on the fire-control radar of the B-52's tail gun; the jet was subsequently renamed In HARM's Way. [8][9] The bombers flew under the Strategic Air Command (SAC) until it was disestablished in 1992 and its aircraft absorbed into the Air Combat Command (ACC); in 2010, all B-52 Stratofortresses were transferred from the ACC to the new Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). Superior performance at high subsonic speeds and relatively low operating costs have kept them in service despite the advent of later, more advanced strategic bombers, including the Mach 2+ B-58 Hustler, the canceled Mach 3 B-70 Valkyrie, the variable-geometry B-1 Lancer, and the stealth B-2 Spirit. [180], B-52Bs reached the end of their structural service life by the mid-1960s and all were retired by June 1966, followed by the last of the B-52Cs on 29 September 1971; except for NASA's B-52B "008" which was eventually retired in 2004 at Edwards AFB, California. [206], The B-52 can be highly effective for ocean surveillance, and can assist the Navy in anti-ship and mine-laying operations. [235], The B-52 went through several design changes and variants over its 10 years of production. With SRAM, the B-52s could strike heavily defended targets without entering the terminal defenses. A total of 25 crewmen were killed in these losses. Thirty B-52Gs were further modified to carry up to 12 AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles each, while 12 B-52Gs were fitted to carry the AGM-142 Have Nap stand-off air-to-ground missile. Lake, Jon. [32] The Air Force project officer who reviewed the Model 464-40 was favorably impressed, especially since he had already been thinking along similar lines. [132], The B-52B was the first version to enter service with the USAF on 29 June 1955 with the 93rd Bombardment Wing at Castle AFB, California. B-52H bombers carry six AGM-86B or AGM-86C missiles on each of two externally mounted pylons and eight internally on a rotary launcher, giving the B-52H a maximum capacity of 20 missiles per aircraft. ", Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum, Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center, claiming jurisdiction within a 12-mile exclusion zone, List of B-52 Units of the United States Air Force, Category:Accidents and incidents involving the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, List of displayed Boeing B-52 Stratofortress, Aircraft in fiction § B-52 Stratofortress, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, List of active United States military aircraft, Accidents and incidents involving the B-52, "The Incredible 50-year-old Plane on the Front Lines of the North Korea Standoff", "B-52 Stratofortress – U.S. Air Force – Fact Sheet Display", "I'll Be Damned, These Boneyard B-52s Can Still Fly", "B-52 Design: Dayton Hotel Birthplace of jet-powered Bomber. B 52 nuclear cruise missile. [103], The ability to carry up to 20 AGM-69 SRAM nuclear missiles was added to G and H models, starting in 1971. The aircraft will be able to receive information through Link-16. [35], By late Friday night, they had laid out what was essentially a new airplane. [46], During ground testing on 29 November 1951, the XB-52's pneumatic system failed during a full-pressure test; the resulting explosion severely damaged the trailing edge of the wing, necessitating considerable repairs. The B-52 has also continued in service because there has been no reliable replacement. The water was carried in a 360-gallon tank in the rear fuselage. ", "This single Pentagon program is going to upend the combat jet industry", "Northrop Grumman Wins $21.4 Billion Pentagon Contract", "US flies B-52 bombers near disputed islands claimed by China", "U.S. B-52 bomber flies over S. Korea in solidarity after N. Korean nuclear claim", B-52s arrive in Qatar to join bombing campaign against ISIS, "U.S. Air Force reports sharp climb in air strikes against militants in Afghanistan", News Transcript: Department Of Defense Press Briefing by Lieutenant General Harrigian via teleconference from Al Udeid Airbase, Qatar: Press Operations: Lieutenant General Jeffrey Harrigian, commander, U.S. Air Forces Central Command, "NASA 'Balls 8': B-52B 'Mothership' Launch Aircraft. [86][87] Follow-up programs were conducted, such as a 2,000-hour service life extension to select airframes in 1966–1968, and the extensive Pacer Plank reskinning, completed in 1977. became of great strategic importance. [21] During this time, Boeing continued to perfect the design, which resulted in the Model 464-29 with a top speed of 455 miles per hour (395 kn, 730 km/h) and a 5,000-mile range. A request for proposals was planned for mid-2019, with service entry by 2024. The seven-hour flight was considered a success. It took off from Edwards Air Force Base with a 50/50 blend of Fischer–Tropsch process (FT) synthetic fuel and conventional JP-8 jet fuel, which burned in two of the eight engines. The remaining bombers, minus one more that turned back due to mechanical problems, continued towards the target. One update is the AN/ARC-210 Warrior beyond-line-of-sight software programmable radio able to transmit voice, data, and information in-flight between B-52s and ground command and control centers, allowing the transmission and reception of data with updated intelligence, mapping, and targeting information; previous in-flight target changes required copying down coordinates. An unarmed AGM-86B Air-Launched Cruise Missile is released from a B-52H Stratofortress in 2014 US Air Force has tested three unarmed AGM-86B air-launched cruise … The rest of the team focused on weight and performance data. This emerged as the AGM-69 SRAM, with a range of about 50 nautical miles (93 km; 58 mi), allowing it to be launched from outside the roughly 20 nautical miles (37 km; 23 mi) range of the SA-2 Guideline missiles it faced. As an active decoy, it carried ECM and other devices, and it had a range of several hundred miles. It was required to cruise at 300 mph (260 knots, 480 km/h) at 34,000 feet (10,400 m) with a combat radius of 5,000 miles (4,300 nautical miles, 8,000 km). The new equipment expanded signal coverage, improved threat warning, provided new countermeasures techniques and increased the quantity of expendables. ", "Joint Laser Interoperability, Tomorrow's Answer to Precision Engagement. [148], Due to the late 1950s-era threat of surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) that could threaten high-altitude aircraft,[149][150] seen in practice in the 1960 U-2 incident,[151] the intended use of B-52 was changed to serve as a low-level penetration bomber during a foreseen attack upon the Soviet Union, as terrain masking provided an effective method of avoiding radar and thus the threat of the SAMs. The B-52 is a multipurpose heavy lifter of the skies that has carried drones, space-shuttle components, cruise missiles, and even nuclear bombs. ", "Air Force Begins Massive B-52 Overhaul. On 19 October 1978, B-52D 56-0594 crashed on takeoff at March AFB, Riverside, CA, due to loss of power on engines 1 and 2, and loss of water augmentation on the left wing. ", "Online Exhibit of Aircraft: 1955 B-52B Stratofortress. [163] The modification created enough capacity for a total of 60,000 lb (27,215 kg) using 108 bombs. 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