The Pentagon on Aug. 25 announced a pair of Air Force contracts to Raytheon and Boeing, totaling more than $766 million, for advance work on adding new radars to the B-52H Stratofortress.
B-52 radar modernization program
The Air Force is deferring parts of the B-52's radar upgrade and plans to start outfitting two Stratofortresses with new engines for testing in fiscal 2027, according to a new Pentagon report, as the service strives to keep the bomber’s modernization on track.
Lt. Gen. Andrew J. Gebara, deputy chief of staff for strategic deterrence and nuclear integration, said the B-52's new radar will soon enter flight testing and is “turning a corner” after a cost overrun triggered a notification to Congress and program review earlier this year. ...
The B-52 Radar Modernization Program has incurred a Nunn-McCurdy breach, with a cost estimate increase of more than 15 percent, the Air Force said. A breach of that magnitude won’t require the Secretary of Defense to certify the program as critical to national defense, but ...
Initial operational capability for the B-52J—the new designation for the bomber after extensive re-engining and upgrade programs—won’t be achieved until 2033. The three-year delay is due to issues both with its new engines and new radar, the Government Accountability Office said in a new report.