US Air Force to seek replacement for aging B-52 bombers

The United States Air Force will begin looking for a new solution to replace its ageing fleet of B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers.

The Air Force plans to operate modernised B-52 aircraft into at least the 2050s, by which time the newest aircraft in the fleet will be 88 years old, Caliber.Az reports, citing TWZ.

The publication notes that it has become common within military circles to jokingly refer to the eternal service of the B-52.

However, the US Air Force has now begun considering a successor.

As part of its fiscal year 2027 budget request, the Air Force has asked for $1 million to conduct an Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) to evaluate candidates for a new heavy bomber.

The report notes that all branches of the US armed forces use AoA studies to refine requirements for future weapons systems.

“At some point, the airframes will simply age out. The service is now clearly looking to put serious thought into what might come next,” it added.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov