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From Scout Media:
The Air Force is surging forward with a massive, fleet-wide modernization overhaul of the battle-tested, Vietnam-era B-52 bomber, an iconic airborne workhorse for the U.S. military dating back to the 1960s.
Engineers are now equipping all 76 of the Air Force B-52s with digital data-links, moving-map displays, next-generation avionics, new radios and an ability to both carry more weapons internally and integrate new, high-tech weapons as they emerge, service officials said.
The technical structure and durability of the B-52 airframes in the Air Force fleet are described as extremely robust and able to keep flying well into the 2040s and beyond – so the service is taking steps to ensure the platform stays viable by receiving the most current and effective avionics, weapons and technologies, Eric Single, Chief of the Global Strike Division, Acquisition, told Scout Warrior in an interview.
Read the full story: http://www.scout.com/military/warrior/story/1621667-air-force-upgrades-iconic-b-52-bomber
More from Scout:
http://www.scout.com/military/warrior/story/1621309-star-wars-missile-defense-takes-new-step
http://www.scout.com/military/warrior/story/1620866-navy-s-stealthy-high-tech-destroyer-sets-sail
http://www.scout.com/military/warrior/story/1620534-marine-corps-welcomes-women-into-all-roles
The Air Force is surging forward with a massive, fleet-wide modernization overhaul of the battle-tested, Vietnam-era B-52 bomber, an iconic airborne workhorse for the U.S. military dating back to the 1960s.
Engineers are now equipping all 76 of the Air Force B-52s with digital data-links, moving-map displays, next-generation avionics, new radios and an ability to both carry more weapons internally and integrate new, high-tech weapons as they emerge, service officials said.
The technical structure and durability of the B-52 airframes in the Air Force fleet are described as extremely robust and able to keep flying well into the 2040s and beyond – so the service is taking steps to ensure the platform stays viable by receiving the most current and effective avionics, weapons and technologies, Eric Single, Chief of the Global Strike Division, Acquisition, told Scout Warrior in an interview.
Read the full story: http://www.scout.com/military/warrior/story/1621667-air-force-upgrades-iconic-b-52-bomber
More from Scout:
http://www.scout.com/military/warrior/story/1621309-star-wars-missile-defense-takes-new-step
http://www.scout.com/military/warrior/story/1620866-navy-s-stealthy-high-tech-destroyer-sets-sail
http://www.scout.com/military/warrior/story/1620534-marine-corps-welcomes-women-into-all-roles
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Technology
Technology
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 10
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Basically we HAVE to keep flying the B-52 because we haven't made a serious purchase of strategic bombers since. The B-1 and -1B had significant technical issues that threatened to kill but did reduce the program. The B-2 cost a mint to build. Each. There were a myriad of X-bombers that never made it to production. It is great that the B-52 still can fly, but I worry about aircrews. That is a lot of hours on those air frames.
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SSG Warren Swan
1SG, would you really trust the AF leadership to buy another weapons platform that would work as advertised, and the project to stay on target, and do the intended mission? I ask being that most of the previous airframes the AF had could outperform the next generation airframe that was bought to replace it. My verdict is out for the F-22. I know the Army had the Crusader program years ago that turned into a bust as big as the Raiders drafting Jamarcus Russell.
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1SG (Join to see)
SSG Warren Swan, there have been a lot of white elephants in procurement in the past decade, but big successes too.
I would say that the Global Hawk is an unequivocal success, as is the Predator.
The Stryker is an extremely successful program.
MRAPs served their purpose, but have limited utility outside what we were doing at the time.
Maybe the Air Force can figure out how to get the F-35 right.
The F-22 is a superior aircraft that had production halted way too soon.
The Crusader was a great idea that bogged down in cost overruns. It just didn't have the support that some other programs (I see you, USS Gerald Ford) had.
I would say that the Global Hawk is an unequivocal success, as is the Predator.
The Stryker is an extremely successful program.
MRAPs served their purpose, but have limited utility outside what we were doing at the time.
Maybe the Air Force can figure out how to get the F-35 right.
The F-22 is a superior aircraft that had production halted way too soon.
The Crusader was a great idea that bogged down in cost overruns. It just didn't have the support that some other programs (I see you, USS Gerald Ford) had.
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SN Greg Wright
1SG (Join to see) - 13 billion and counting. Some of those costs will be amortized across other hulls, but still an eye-popping figure.
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LTC Stephen Conway, in the discussion thread "A Flock Of Seagulls Downed A B-52 Bomber In Guam", you asked why there was such a big price tag on old and "paid for" bombers, and I suggested upgrades. Maybe these are the upgrades?
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LTC Stephen Conway
If the KC-135 and the B-52 are going to be retired 20 years after I retire (2022) we can and should extend the service life of the A-10! The Junk strike fighter is horrible and vulnerable in CAS.
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SGT William Howell
SGT William Howell - There is something just super sexy when the B-52 is on a takeoff roll and the wings start generating lift and those wings raise up that 4 or 5 feet just before it takes off. I always thought they looked like a bird of prey just before it launches itself into the air and flies off majestically. My step father was always with SAC and I have been watching B-52s take off since I was 5.
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What we have to remember about the BUFF is that it still has extremely low flying hours for its age. It sat alert, not flying for years on end during the cold war...only to be rotated off alert and fly every so often as a trainer for certification of the aircrews. The reason the airframe is so robust is that is has no stress on the airframe from flying so much as do some of our more modern airframes. It is basically a simple airframe and in todays world a simple airframe that can still do what it does meeting and sometimes exceeding mission requirements at the fraction of cost of a new one plus ease of and relatively low cost of maintenance is a great decision. Sometimes less is more. I applaud the AF leadership on this. Long live the BUFF. Ugly but extremely effective!!!
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I hope someone in R&D has read the Dale Brown "Megafortress" series of books, which is about a small USAF unit that mods B-52s and B-1s with ultra-high tech weaponry and avionics, and carries out clandestine air ops all over the world.
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Beast bomber ever built. I hunted with a pilot who flew them. He said we carried enough nukes to sink half of Russia. That was in the late 60's
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I went to a class for acquisition and they were talking about the B-52 having a 100 year life cycle. This is pretty unique in terms of weapon systems platforms.
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TSgt (Join to see)
The CH-47 is in the same category and is a contemporary with the B-52. The CH-47 is slated to fly into the 2040s and possibly beyond, which at that time, will make the CH-47 design 100 years old.
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SSG Eddye Royal
SP5 Mark Kuzinski, I raed they were getting rid of this machine, when and to what do you happen to know what to?
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SP5 Mark Kuzinski
SSG Eddye Royal - I don't quite understand you question Eddye. The article covers all the upgrades that will be incorporated into these planes and I think that it is awesome that they will be maintained and the upgrades will make them sound through 2040.
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Yes ,I remember those Larger Than Life, Instuments of Flight, Pay load awesomeness,Its like They can Fly for ever , been around then on the flight line ,A Salute To All The Leaders,Airman who Remember ,took care of them, flown in Them
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