As part of modernization efforts aimed at keeping the platform operational through 2050, the U.S. Air Force has received the first B-52 bomber equipped with the new APQ-188 AESA radar to undergo testing and evaluation at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The development has already been officially confirmed by the U.S. company Boeing, which was responsible for installing the mentioned system and making it available to the 412th Test Wing, whose pilots will carry out the tests in the near future.
Boeing Bombers Vice President Troy Dawson commented on the matter, stating: “The new radar will significantly increase the B-52’s mission effectiveness by improving situational awareness, accelerating target location and enhancing crew survivability in contested environments. This phase of the program focuses on achieving a strong start so we can execute the full radar modernization program.”
It is useful to mention here that the new APQ-188 AESA radar has already passed a series of initial ground tests, which took place at the company’s facilities in San Antonio, Texas. Once its performance evaluation in the air can be completed, Boeing expects the data obtained to support further development and pave the way for modernizing a total of 76 B-52 bombers.
Reviewing briefly what this aspect of the modernization implies for the aircraft, Boeing details that new sensors and processors associated with the use of the APQ-188 AESA radar will be added, as well as new high-definition 8×20-inch touchscreen displays to replace those currently installed at the navigation and radar stations. Additionally, it is indicated that the B-52 will also feature a more efficient liquid cooling system for the radar, complemented by a heating system that uses purged engine air for missions carried out in extreme cold conditions.
If we widen the lens on the modernization process beyond the radars themselves, it is also possible to mention that the B-52s will see their propulsion systems renewed thanks to the installation of new Rolls-Royce F130 engines to replace the current Pratt & Whitney TF33-P-3/103 models used by the B-52H variant. In this case, this part of the process has faced problems and delays relative to the original schedules, with a Critical Design Review (CDR) postponed to next year due to detected issues in the design of the inlet system.
Even with this problem in mind, the U.S. Air Force still expects to meet its goal of reaching initial operational capability (IOC) by 2033, with current plans authorizing initial production during 2028; by which point two test aircraft are expected to be completed. Another critical aspect to highlight, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), has been the implementation of digital models in the program to achieve a real-time data source accessible to manufacturers and development overseers—a task Boeing acknowledges as a challenge given the aircraft’s age.
Cover image: Boeing
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