B-52 Future Stratofortress: The Upgrades That Will Transform The B-52H Into The B-52J

The B-52 Stratofortress is a plane that really needs no introduction. It’s big, it’s loud, and it’s smoky. It’s also incredibly old. So old that the last airframes to roll off the production line took to the skies in the early 1960s, right in the thick of the Cold War. Despite its age, the plane commonly known as “The BUFF” remains a dependable and capable long-range bomber for the U.S. Air Force. As the B-52H enters its seventh decade of service, there are no plans to retire the type. In fact, the US Air Force has laid out a host of upgrades that will see a jet designed with slide rules become a networked, high-tech, multi-role, long-range platform of the future…and potentially serving for over a century. This deeply revamped Stratofortress that will serve alongside the B-21 Raider will be known as the B-52J. Here are all the upgrades that will make its modernization makeover complete.

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:48 The Ultimate B-52: The Making Of The 100-Year Bomber
2:21 A Legacy Of Adaptability
4:10 Today’s Stratofortress
5:48 Powering the Future
11:33 The BUFF Sees All
14:26 The Connected B-52
16:16 Arming the B-52J

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[lawrencegore]

This is an excellent video. I helped design the B-52G/H in 1956, and was involved in its development and operation until 1969. The original B-52G was designed for high-altitude bombing, with the emphasis on minimum weight, to maximize range. But in 1961, at the height of the Cold War, we redesigned the structure to meet SAC's new, more severe usage and service life requirements. These notably included low level terrain avoidance training, often under extreme gust and maneuver conditions. The emphasis in structural design shifted to toughness and durability. The primary structural components are never replaced. The main reason for their longevity is that the usage has not been as severe as was projected. As Chief of Structures Technology at Boeing-Wichita at the time of the redesign. I am honored to say I chose the materials, the analysis methods, and the limiting stress levels for the redesign. I am now 97and I am thrilled to see these planes still flying, and projected to do so for many more years.

[psychocuda]

The year is 2573. After a devastating sneak attack by the Zorg aliens on planet earth, the enemy thought they had dealt us a fatal blow. But screeching into the distant planet's alien atmosphere, a strange craft appears, cutting its warp engines. The B52-ZX9 opens the bomb bay doors and the aliens hear a communication on the radio. "YEEEE HAA!"

[Justa_Normal_Gamer]

To put it into perspective the last B-52 pilot has yet to be born yet

[YouTube_user]

When the B-21 retires, it will be escorted by the B-52 😂

[Gregfromyeg]

The landing gear on these Buffs has to be one of the coolest sets of gear put on a huge plane like this.

[stevearnold]

I used to see the B-52's flying out of March AFB in Riverside, California when I was a kid. And I'm creeping up on being 70! One of the greatest planes to ever fly!

[haakonsteinsvaag]

The B-52 is like an old fridge, It will outlive you, your children and their children.

[Slonge]

I was in SAC at MAFB in 1974, ‘75, &’76, and USAFE in 1977. At MAFB we kept four ‘D’ model BUFF’s and four tankers on nuclear alert (these birds had flown missions over Vietnam just a few years earlier. They were so old that the tail gunner sat in the tail, with quad 50’s at his fingertips.

There are too many stories to share in a comment. But, the one thing that so many airmen have in common is the outright respect and admiration we have for a machine that our fathers flew, crewed, and supported (as we did) during the Cold War. They were scary times, and many of us lived life like there was no tomorrow.

Thanks for the memories.

[christopherstone]

Grandpa Buff’s bones may be old but are stronger than ever.

[matthewlawson]

So what you are saying is that as a middle age guy, who made B52 models as a kid, will not outlive the plane my models were made from. That's awesome. I still remember running out of paint and having to go get new bottles to finish it.

[jedijc]

Very old (But Updated) Joke: When the last C17, F15, F16, F/A18, F22, B1, & B2 Lands at the Bone Yard.
A B-52 will be Fly Over And, the Crew of that B-52 will watch each Aircraft's Crew Step abroad a C-130 to go Home.

[castlerock]

Imagine 100 year old planes in service.

[jsdreyer]

This was really excellent. What made it stand out was the history and very specific detail of the upgrades that TWZ went into. I really appreciate not shying away from the technical aspects and trusting the audience to keep up, or at least pause the video and go look something up. And great use of imagery and video footage, there was no way I was treating this video as a podcast and just listening while I worked. Also, the narrator does a good job, very definitely human in an era of AI-narrated videos (which must have been tempting). I know it took a a great deal of effort to make this, so these will likely be every few weeks, but I'm really looking forward to the next one. Thanks!

[Kroggnagch]

Naming the engine F117 makes me think theres a tiny stealth bomber powering all the bigger bombers, and no less, powering the bigger bombers since before it even existed. How fantastic.

[DavidGourley-cetf]

as a child living at home with B52 waking me up every morning to them taking off @ 0530 every morning

[playloud]

Grandma BUFF getting a new upgrade: “What’s a photon torpedo?”

[steve_wilson]

This was a fabulous bit on the BUFF, probably one of the best. I can't wait to see the B-52J first fly. Lots and lots of Flights left in this Old Dog!

[airplanespotter]

First the C-5M, the C-130J, the MC-130J and now the B-52J! Cool!!

[williamlloyd]

Whenever the Air Force had a dispersal exercise, several BUFFs were deployed to our local AF base. You could really tell when B-52s were taking off which shook the house not to mention the long contrails.

[dormandavis]

It’s amazing how far we have come the last 100 years.