OVERVIEW: The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) since the 1950s. The bomber is capable of carrying up to 70,000 pounds (32,000 kg) of weapons.

Beginning with the successful contract bid in June 1946, the B-52 design evolved from a straight-wing aircraft powered by six turboprop engines to the final prototype YB-52 with eight turbojet engines and swept wings. The B-52 took its maiden flight in April 1952. Built to carry nuclear weapons for Cold War-era deterrence missions, the B-52 Stratofortress replaced the Convair B-36. A veteran of several wars, the B-52 has dropped only conventional munitions in combat. The B-52's official name Stratofortress is rarely used in informal circumstances, and it has become common to refer to the aircraft as the BUFF (Big Ugly Fat Fucker).

The B-52 has been in active service with the USAF since 1955. As of 2012, 85 were in active service with nine in reserve. The bombers flew under the Strategic Air Command (SAC) until it was inactivated in 1992 and its aircraft absorbed into the Air Combat Command (ACC); in 2010 all B-52 Stratofortresses were transferred from the ACC to the new Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). Superior performance at high subsonic speeds and relatively low operating costs have kept the B-52 in service despite the advent of later, more advanced aircraft, including the canceled Mach 3 B-70 Valkyrie, the variable-geometry B-1 Lancer, and the stealth B-2 Spirit. The B-52 completed fifty years of continuous service with its original operator in 2005; after being upgraded between 2013 and 2015, it is expected to serve into the 2040s.

TYPE: Strategic Heavy Bomber Aircraft.

SPECIFICATIONS: Crew: (5) - pilot, copilot, Weapon Systems Officer, navigator, Electronic Warfare Officer, and tail gunner until the removal of the tail gun in 1991 || Length: 159 ft 4 in (48.5 m) || Wingspan: 185 ft 0 in (56.4 m) || Height: 40 ft 8 in (12.4 m) || Max takeoff weight: 488,000 lb (220,000 kg) || Powerplant: (8) Pratt & Whitney TF33-P-3/103 turbofans, 17,000 lbf (76 kN) each.

PERFORMANCE: Max Speed: 560 kt (650 mph, 1,047 km/h) || Cruise speed: 442 kt (525 mph, 844 km/h) || Combat radius: 4,480 mi (3,890 nmi, 7,210 km) || Ferry range: 10,145 mi (8,764 nmi, 16,232 km) || Service ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,000 m) || Rate of climb: 6,270 ft/min (31.85 m/s) || Thrust/weight: 0.31.

SENSORS: AN/ALQ-117 PAVE MINT active countermeasures set || AN/ALQ-122 false target generator || AN/ALQ-153 tail warning set || AN/ALQ-155 jammer Power Management System || AN/ALQ-172(V)2 electronic countermeasures system || AN/ALR-20A Panoramic countermeasures radar warning receiver || AN/ALR-46 digital warning receiver || AN/ALT-32 noise jammer || AN/ANS-136 Inertial Navigation Set || AN/APQ-156 Strategic Radar || AN/AYQ-10 Ballistics Computer || AN/AAQ-6 FLIR Electro-optical viewing system || AN/AVQ-22 Low-light TV Electro-optical viewing system || ADR-8 chaff rocket (1965-1970) || LITENING Advanced Targeting System || Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod || IBM AP-101 computer.

ARMAMENT: Nuclear - ALCM, SRAM, ACM, B53, B-61 Mod11, B-83 || Conventional - CBU-52, CBU-58, CBU-71, CBU-87, CBU 89, CBU 97, Mk 117, Mk 20, Mk 36, Mk 41, Mk 52, Mk 55, Mk 56, Mk 59, Mk 60 (CapTor), Mk 62, Mk 64, Mk 65, MK 82, Mk 84 || Precision - JDAM , WCMD, AGM-84 Harpoon, AGM-86C CALCM, AGM-142 Popeye, AGM-154 JSOW, AGM-158 JASSSM || AN/ALE-20 infra-red flare dispensers ||  AN/ALE-24 chaff dispensers.

SOURCE: [SCO] Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org