Boeing B-52H, Will Operate Until 2050

Boeing B-52H Stratofortress, the US Air Force (USAF) strategic bomber.

The H variant is the final version of the B-52 family and the only variant still in active use today and for more than three decades.

The first flight of the B-52H variant was carried out on July 10, 1960 and officially began operating on May 9, 1961.

A total of 102 B-52H ever built. The last production aircraft was the B-52H AF Serial No. 61-40, left the factory on October 26, 1962.

The main change made to the B-52H variant is the use of the new TF33-P-3 turbofan engine, which offers significantly better performance and fuel economy than the J57 turbojet engine of the previous generation.

Also on the B-52H, received updated ECM and avionics. A new fire control system was installed, and rear defense armament changed from machine guns to 20 mm Vulcan M61 guns (later removed in 1991–1994).

Currently, 58 B-52H units are operated by active forces, namely Bomb Wing 2 and Bomb Wing 5. Then 18 other units are operated by the 307 Bomb Wing reserves, and around 12 are in long-term storage at Davis-Monthan AFB Boneyard.

If the USAF's other strategic bombers, namely the Boeing B-1B Lancer and Northrop B-2 Spirit, will begin to be retired in the early 2030s, the B-52H will continue to be actively maintained until 2050.

The main advantage over the B-1B and B-2 is the lower operational and maintenance costs of the Bb-52H.

To fly it, the B-52H is operated by a crew of five (pilot, copilot, weapons system operator, navigator and electronic warfare operator).

The bomber with a Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW) of 221,323 kg was equipped with eight Pratt & Whitney TF33-P-3/103 turbofan engines, each with 76 kN thrust.

It has a maximum speed performance of 1,050 km/h, an altitude of up to 15,000 m, and a combat range of 14,200 km without refueling in the air.

The armament that the B-52H can carry includes conventional and nuclear bombs, as well as air-to-surface cruise missiles with conventional or nuclear warheads.

The B-52 family has been tested in practice, from the Vietnam War to being involved in the Gulf War in Iraq and the Afghanistan War.