B-52J:Big Upgrade Will Keep the Buff Relevant for Decades

According to informed sources,the U.S. Air Force is embarked on a major upgrade of the Boeing B-52H Stratofortress strategic bomber,which is a key member of Air Force Global Strike Command Bomber Task Force missions both in Europe and the Indo-Pacific Region.It is so significant,the Air Force skipped the I designation.The 48.6 billion dollar upgrade,which has had its share of cost overruns and technical glitches,is to keep the B-52 relevant through the 2050s,a hundred years after the bomber's introduction in 1952.Consider the enhanced capabilities:1.The B-52J is to serve as a deployer of multiple weapon systems,including the Hypersonic Cruise Attack Missile (HCAM);drone swarms;as well as precision-guided munitions and nuclear weapons.2.The original Pratt&Whitney TF33 engines are to be replaced by new Rolls Royce F130 engines.This will increase fuel efficiency and range,while at the same time reducing maintenance costs.For stealth enhancement-a key feature of the upgrade-the engines will be quieter and produce less smoke.3.A new radar system based on the Boeing F/A-18EF Super Hornet's APG-79 AESA radar will give the B-52J longer range and better situational awareness.At the same time,the elimination of the blister housing the current AN/ASQ-151 radar will make the B-52J stealthier.4.There will be new communications and navigation systems.*All 76 B-52Hs are to be upgraded to the B-52J.The B-52J is to be ready for operations by the decade's end,with Initial Operational Capability designation slated for 2033.*Boeing (BA),Rolls Royce Holdings plc (LSE:RR)