During Bright Star ’82, eight B-52 bombers assigned to the strategic-projection force establish a record for the longest nonstop B-52 bombing mission. Flying a distance of 15,000 miles with three midair refuelings in 31 hours from air bases in North Dakota, the bombers deliver their conventional munitions on a simulated runway in Egypt.
The KC-Z4, a blended wing body tanker concept being developed by startup JetZero, could fuel larger groups of aircraft at longer range to hold more targets at risk, company officials say.