Of 13 Upgrades Planned for the 70-Year-old Bombers, 10 Face Cost, Schedule, or Performance Issues

The US Air Force's B-52 Stratofortress modernization program is billions over budget and behind schedule, according to a Government Accountability Office report released last week. Of 13 upgrades planned for the 70-year-old bombers, 10 face cost, schedule, or performance issues. The Commercial Engine Replacement Program, the priciest upgrade, has seen costs rise by roughly $3 billion since 2023, with initial operational capability delayed over 15 months.

The GAO warned the program "will likely continue to face significant challenges as the Air Force plans to begin production with little to no developmental flight testing. Other upgrades include new radars, communications systems, training devices, and modifications to carry the AGM-181 Long-Range Standoff nuclear cruise missile. The GAO noted that simultaneous work on multiple upgrades risks hardware conflicts and made six recommendations, including delaying the engine production decision until cost and schedule risks are analyzed.

Despite the issues, officials have stressed the upgrades' importance. Vice Adm. Richard Correll, nominated to head US Strategic Command, called them "essential" for strategic deterrence.

The Rolls-Royce engines and new radars would make the B-52 "a new airplane. The bomber recently demonstrated its combat role with overland missions over Iran, with Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, saying in March that "we've struck more than 11,000 targets" in 30 days. The concerns come amid broader alarms about the aging and shrinking US air fleet.