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Why the iconic B-52 'Stratofortress' bomber will be changing its name

With new engines, weapons, and radar capabilities, not much of the B-52H will be left.

A B-52 Stratofortress in the "J" version - Artists rendering

The United States Air Force's (USAF) B-52 H Stratofortress bomber fleet is undergoing a major re-haul as the plane enters its 61st year of service, which will see new engines, radar, and "stealth" nuke capabilities added to the long-serving long-ranged bomber that frequently calls RAF Fairford its home. So much of the aircraft is being ripped out and upgraded that when the new model rolls out of the hanger in the late 2020s, it will have to be given a new name.

Though previous iterations of the iconic nuclear-capable bomber existed in the 1950s, the B-52H Stratofortress model has kept its name and much of its configuration throughout its subsequent seven decades of service, from the Vietnam War to as recently as fighting the Taliban in 2021. However, with new Rolls Royce F130 engines and hypersonic weapon capabilities, USAF has decided to give the plane an all-new designation - the B-52J.

B-52 lower deck battle station

Brigadier General Heath Collins told a USAF magazine that the name change, known colloquially as "rolling the series", was needed as the major upgrades to the B-52's capabilities meant that it was essentially a new plane. With eight new powerful and fuel-efficient jet engines, the B-52J will rely less on mid-air refuelling and have a far greater range, while other upgrades could see the number of aircrew required to operate the plane reduced.

READ MORE: RAF Fairford and the B-52's role in Operation Iraqi Freedom 20 years on

The B-52A on its maiden flight, April 15 1952 (Image: AF Global Strike)

The new designation was confirmed in the text of a USAF budget document submitted to Congress, asking for $6bn for the programme, which also confirmed the air force's new focus on the hypersonic cruise missiles which are currently in the late stages of development by the US military. With a 30 per cent greater fuel efficiency and no need to re-fit the F130 engines before the 2050s, USAF argues the $2.6bn engine upgrade will eventually pay for itself.

The iconic long-ranged bomber's other major upgrade that triggered the name change is the adoption of the active, electronically-scanned array (AESA) radar of the F-18 jet, a much smaller "radome" system that will fit into the nose of the plane and allow crews "significant" capabilities in searching, ground mapping, and combatting electronic warfare. Both upgrades and the new B-52J designation are expected to roll out of hangars by 2028.

The USAF budget document reveals that the new model will need to be hardened against nuclear radiation and protected against cyber attack. It states that the B-52 J "brings an additional capability to the B-52, emerging security/certification requirements (nuclear hardening, cyber security, program protection, etc.) will also need to be addressed. Several concurrent aircraft upgrades during the B-52 CERP may necessitate temporary facilities or facility upgrades/ modifications.”