The US Air Force's plan to upgrade its 70-year-old B-52 bombers is billions over budget, watchdog finds
The service is expected to start production of upgrades "with little to no developmental flight testing," the GAO report found.
The US Air Force's plan to modernize its aging B-52 bombers has exceeded budget by billions of dollars, according to a recent report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The B-52 Stratofortress has been in service since 1950, and the Air Force aims to keep it operational until the 2050s. The modernization program includes new commercial engines, radars, communications systems, training devices, and advanced target pod displays.
It also involves equipping the B-52s with the AGM-181 Long-Range Standoff weapon, a new nuclear-armed cruise missile under development.
However, the upgrades have faced significant delays and cost overruns. The GAO report highlights that 10 of the 13 upgrades are experiencing challenges. The Commercial Engine Replacement Program, the most expensive component, has seen a $3 billion increase in cost since 2023 and its initial operational date has been pushed back over 15 months. The report suggests that the program may continue to face challenges due to the planned production beginning with little to no developmental flight testing.
A key issue, according to the GAO, is the Air Force's approach of working on multiple upgrades simultaneously. This approach can lead to conflicts where work on one program may interfere with the work for another modernization program. Despite the reported issues, the B-52 modernization program is considered essential for ensuring the bombers can fulfill their strategic deterrence role.
The engine replacements, which will incorporate Rolls-Royce engines, are expected to essentially modernize the B-52, making it a "new airplane" alongside the radar technologies.
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