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Boeing B-52H Stratofortress long-range heavy bomber | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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The B-52H is a long-range, heavy bomber designed and built by Boeing Company (Boeing Military Airplane Co.), which has continued to provide support and upgrades since the first models. The B-52H strategic bomber is capable of flying at high subsonic speeds at altitudes up to 15 km. It can carry nuclear or precision guided conventional ordnance with worldwide precision navigation capability. In a conventional conflict, the B-52 can perform strategic attack, close-air support, air interdiction, offensive counter-air and maritime operations. For more than 40 years B-52 strategic bombers have been the backbone of the manned strategic bomber force for the United States. The B-52A first flew in 1954, and the B model entered service in 1955. A total of 744 B-52s were built. The first of 102 B-52H's was delivered to Strategic Air Command in May 1961. The H model can carry up to 20 air launched cruise missiles. In addition, it can carry the conventional cruise missile that was launched in several contingencies during the 1990s, starting with Operation Desert Storm and culminating with Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2001, the B-52H contributed to the success in Operation Enduring Freedom, providing the ability to loiter high above the battlefield and provide close air support through the use of precision guided munitions. Only the H model is still in the Air Force inventory and is assigned to the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot AFB, N.D., and the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB, La., which fall under Air Force Global Strike Command. The aircraft is also assigned to the Air Force Reserve Command's 307th Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB. The USAF still maintain 58 B-52H Stratofortress bombers in service, and 18 others aircraft remain in reserve. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Main Variants | ||||||||||||||||||||||
-B-52A: Only three of the first production version, the B-52A, were built, all loaned to Boeing for flight testing. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Technical Data | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Design | ||||||||||||||||||||||
The B-52 shared many technological similarities with the preceding Boeing B-47 Stratojet strategic bomber. The two aircraft used the same basic design, such as swept wings and podded jet engines, and the cabin included the crew ejection systems. The B-52H had the same crew and structural changes as the B-52G. The B-52H variant is the only still operational. A total of 102 B-52Hs were built. The crew is composed of an aircraft commander, a pilot, a radar navigator, a navigator and an electronic warfare officer. The B-52H has a length of 48.5 m, a height of 12.4 m and a wingspan of 56.4 m. It features a wing area of 370 m² (4,000 sq ft). | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Propulsion | ||||||||||||||||||||||
The most significant upgrade of the B-52H was the switch to TF33-P-3 turbofan engines which, despite the initial reliability problems (corrected by 1964 under the Hot Fan program), offered considerably better performance and fuel economy than the J57 turbojets. The B-52H has eight Pratt & Whitney TF33-P-3 turbofan engines, each providing more than 17,000lb of thrust. The aircraft has ten internal plus two external fuel tanks with a capacity of over 181,000l, which give an unrefuelled range of more than 8,600 miles. The operational range with one air refuelling is 7,500nm. There has been increasing support for an upgrade programme to re-engine the B-52H. Boeing has received a contract to study the options which include proposals for either four or eight new engines. New turbofan engines increase the unrefuelled range and provide the aircraft with the capability to strike a target located anywhere on earth from a CONUS (continental US) base with a single refuelling. In September 2006, the B-52 bomber became one of the first US military aircraft to fly using alternative fuel. 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. This program is part of the Department of Defense Assured Fuel Initiative, which aims to reduce crude oil usage and obtain half of its aviation fuel from alternative sources by 2016. On 8 August 2007, Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne certified the B-52H as fully approved to use the FT blend. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Avionics | ||||||||||||||||||||||
All B-52s are equipped with an electro-optical viewing system that uses platinum silicide forward-looking infrared and high resolution low-light-level television sensors to augment targeting, battle assessment, and flight safety, thus further improving its combat ability and low-level flight capability. Under the nose section are the steerable chin turrets for the AN/ASQ-151 electro-optical viewing system (EVS), which consists of the Raytheon AN/AAQ-6 forward-looking infrared (FLIR) in the starboard turret and Northrop Grumman AN/AVQ-22 low-light-level television camera (LLTV) in the port turret. Pilots have night vision goggle (NVG) capability to enhance their vision during night operations; providing greater safety and increasing the pilot's ability to visually clear terrain, avoid threats and see other aircraft in a covert/lights-out environment. On-going modifications incorporate the global positioning system, external and internal weapon data bus upgrades and a full array of advance weapons currently under development. A recent modification is the addition of an advanced targeting pod, which offers infrared and electro-optical tracking and laser designation of stationary and moving targets. Additionally, an electronic data link and global messaging system has been added and can be used in conjunction with, or independent of, the advanced targeting pod. B-52s are currently upgrading from the Litening Advanced Targeting Pod to the Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod. Sniper pods provide improved long-range target detection/identification and continuous stabilized surveillance for all missions, including close air support of ground forces. The pod’s advanced targeting and image processing technology significantly increases the combat effectiveness of the B-52 during day, night and under-the-weather conditions in the attack of ground targets with a variety of standoff weapons (i.e., laser-guided bombs, conventional bombs and GPS-guided weapons). The B-52H is equipped with the AN/ASQ-176 offensive avionics system (OAS), which includes a Northrop Grumman strategic radar, Honeywell radar altimeter, Smiths attitude heading and reference system, Tercom terrain comparison, Teledyne Ryan Doppler navigation radar, Honeywell AN/ASN-131 inertial navigation system, and IBM / Raytheon AN/ASQ-38 bombing and navigation system. The B-52H is equipped with a wide range of electronic warfare equipment. The ITT AN/ALQ-172(V)2 electronic countermeasures system features multi-band threat recognition and multiple threat jamming. The AN/ALR-20A radar warning system detects and prioritises multiple threats. The Northrop Grumman (Litton) AN/ALR-46 digital warning receiver detects radar emissions in the 2GHz to 18GHz band, and can simultaneously identify up to 16 radar signals. Northrop Grumman's AN/ALQ-155 jammer power management system gives 360° coverage in D,E,F,G, and H radar bands. It is also equipped with Motorola AN/ALQ-122 multiple false target generator, AN/ALT-32 noise jammer and Northrop Grumman AN/ALQ-153 tail warning set, which is a pulse Doppler threat warner. The Boeing B-52H is also fitted with 12 AN/ALE-20 infrared flare dispensers and eight launchers for the AN/ALE-24 chaff dispenser. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Armement | ||||||||||||||||||||||
The B-52 is capable of dropping or launching the widest array of weapons in the U.S. inventory. This includes gravity bombs, cluster bombs, precision guided missiles and joint direct attack munitions. This includes: - Conventional: MK82 (500 lb) (51), MK84 (2000 lb) (18), MK117 (750 lb) (51), BDU-48 (17 - Nuclear: AGM-129 advanced cruise missiles (ACMS) (12), AGM-86A air-launched cruise missiles (ALCM) (20), bomb (8). A 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannon originally was mounted in a remote controlled tail turret on the H-model, but was removed from all current operational aircraft in 1991. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Specifications | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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FAQs
Does a B-52 have a toilet? ›
The B-52 Stratofortress has been flying since the 1950s and is planned to continue until at least the 2040s. The B-52 has a basic bathroom system for crew with a relief tube for urination and a bag for other bodily functions.
How many B-52 bombers are still flying? ›The B-52 is expected to remain in service with the USAF until 2050. The USAF still has 72 active B-52H bombers in its inventory, operational with the following units and locations of the United States Air Force: 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB in Louisiana.
How many cruise missiles can a B-52 carry? ›Each B-52 H can carry a total of 20 cruise missiles with 8 missiles in its internal bays and 6 each on each wing making a total of 12 missiles carried on external underwing pylons.
How many miles can a B-52 fly without refueling? ›It has been operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) since the 1950s, and NASA for over 40 years. The bomber can carry up to 70,000 pounds (32,000 kg) of weapons and has a typical combat range of around 8,800 miles (14,200 km) without aerial refueling.
How many B-52 were shot down in Vietnam? ›A total of 18 B-52s were lost in combat during the Vietnam War, most as a result of surface-to-air missile (SAM) strikes over North Vietnam. Further, 12 aircraft were lost in other operational circ*mstances, including the two lost on July 7, 1967.
Did a B-52 shoot down a MiG? ›Moore would go down in history as not only the second B-52 gunner to score a kill against a MiG, but also as the last bomber-gunner to ever engage enemy fighters in American service, despite tailguns surviving on the B-52 until the 1990s.
Why is it called a B-52 shot? ›The most likely origin of the B-52 drink recipe is with Peter Fich, head bartender at the Banff Springs Hotel in Alberta. Fich liked to name his creations after his favorite bands, which means that the B-52 co*cktail was named after the popular band, the B-52s, and not after the B-52 Stratofortress bomber.
How long can a B-52 stay in the air? ›The B-52 takes on 7,000 pounds of fuel per minute, and due to mid-air refueling, the only thing that limits the plane is aircrew endurance, as it has an unrefueled combat range of over 8,800 miles. The crew trains to stay in the air as long as possible, thus the B-52 can be in the air for over 72 hours at a time.
Can jets shoot down cruise missiles? ›US fighter aircraft shot down an anti-ship cruise missile fired from Houthi militant areas of Yemen toward a US destroyer operating in the Southern Red Sea.
What is the nickname of the B-52? ›1. The official name of the B-52 is “Stratofortress.” However, it is more popularly known as “BUFF” or Big Ugly Fat F***** (or “fellow,” for the polite among you).
Does the B-52 have guns? ›
A remote-control tail turret is armed with either four . 50 caliber machine guns or, a 20 millimeter multibarrel cannon for air defense. Advanced electronic systems and terrain-avoidance radar allow for low-level, long-range penetration missions under adverse weather conditions.
How many nuclear bombs can a B-52 carry? ›The B-52H with a weapons payload of more than 70,000lb is capable of carrying the most diverse range of weapons of any combat aircraft. The nuclear weapons capacity includes 12 AGM-129 advanced cruise missiles (ACMS), 20 AGM-86A air-launched cruise missiles (ALCM) and eight bombs.
How far can a Cessna 172 fuel tank go? ›How far can a Cessna 172 fly on one tank of gas? - Quora. A pilot friend tells me his tank holds 53 gallons usable fuel, good for 4.25 hours of endurance flying, ~520 nm, at 75% power at 8,500 feet; 6.75 hours of endurance flying, ~640 nm, at 45% power at 10,000 feet.
How far can a F 35 fly on a tank of fuel? ›The F-35C carries nearly 20,000 lbs of internal fuel and has a range of greater than 1,200 nm. The enables F-35C pilots to fly further and remain in a desired battlespace longer before refueling is necessary.
Where do B2 pilots go to the bathroom? ›The Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit is one such example. The heavy strategic bomber is one of the most majestic planes to take to the skies – yet its toilet is anything but. In the co*ckpit, behind the right seat (mere feet away from a bank of classified communication servers), is the aircraft's 'toilet.
Do B-1 bombers have bathrooms? ›A toilet and galley were provided to support long missions, and there was space for two instructors along with the crew of four. However, the instructors sat on fixed seats, meaning they had to bail out manually in case of an emergency.
Do B-52 bombers have ejection seats? ›The B-52 itself could withstand the loss of some of its 8 engines and sustain heavy damage, but many times crews found themselves bailing out moments before an emergency. As one of the most complex systems in an aircraft, the ejection seat and canopy could thrust its occupant to safety in a matter of seconds.
Does the B-52 have a bed? ›No toilets or room to bed down unless one brought aboard a sleeping bag. The tailgunner has an intercom to the front crew.