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B-52 re-engine effort could start in 2020
A long-awaited effort to re-engine the 76-strong Boeing B-52H fleet would start no earlier than fiscal year 2020, but the USAF’s head of Global Strike Command feels a final decision to lengthen the 60-year-old Boeing aircraft’s life is closer than ever. (www.flightglobal.com) Más...Sort type: [Top] [Newest]
I doubt that this program will be implemented. The same Company that built this wonderful and sturdy bird is hard at work convincing the powers that be at the Pentagon and WH pushing for their New Bomber design which will cost easily ONE QUARTER OF A BILLION DOLLARS, yes you read it right 250,000,000 a pop.
Do we still need long range bombers? Can the F35 and F22 do the same job? I think we have plenty of cruise missiles that can do the job! ie, Syria, etc.
Actually, drones are more likely to subsume more of the mission requirements the Buff now fills, than either expendables or hi-dollar piloted assets.
Contrary to popular belief we cannot park on the doorstep of every country we may need to strike. So long range capability is essential. A good defensive strategy also does not involve putting all your eggs in one basket. Having multiple methods is a good thing and makes it more challenging for your opponent to get the upper hand.
Understand.... but we have subs, surface vessels, and aircraft that carry cruise missiles. Do we still need to have Buffs flying around for 12-14 hours near Russian and Chinese airspace? Just a thought. Manufacturing new B52's is out of the question. Newer aircraft with newer materials can do the job much better.
N42769, Right plane, wrong time. Although the Buff has been stretched to continue filling the "long range heavy bomber mission" over the years, the mission is different now is some fundamental ways. The Air Force would therefore "never" ask for "new" B-52s to be built. The ISSUE for such a project would be which of those "fundamental ways" is the most important, and thus another F-35 style all-things-to-all-people boon doggle would develop. Boeing would happily get bigger and richer and the product would be as different from a B-52 as the Buff is from a B-17. Unfortunately it would almost certainly NOT be the Silver Bullet the Buff turned out to be, and the budget would be bigger than the B-1 & B2 combined...