Work on the modernisation of the U.S. Air Drive’s B-52 bomber fleet to the B-52J subsequent era normal has confronted an extra main hurdle, as price overruns with the B-52 Radar Modernisation Program have triggered a regulation requiring the Air Drive to inform Congress – a Nunn-McCurdy price breach. The Nunn-McCurdy Act requires the providers to tell Congress when a program’s price or schedule estimate has elevated considerably from its accredited stage, with the B-52 radar unit price enhance referred to be sources as “vital.” The extent of the overrun stays unconfirmed. The radar program is meant to interchange theB-52’s lengthy since out of date AN/APQ-166 mechanically scanned array radar with a leading edge AN/APQ-188 lively electronically scanned array radar, which represents some of the pricey elements of bringing the B-52 as much as the B-52J normal. This and different price overruns have fuelled hypothesis that the Air Drive will likely be pressured to make deep cuts to the bomber program. The B-52 is the one one in every of three bomber lessons at the moment in service within the U.S. Air Drive that’s anticipated to stay operational past the mid-2030s, with the U.S. Air Drive having already made deep cuts to its problematic B-1B bomber fleet, whereas the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber fleet is scheduled for an early retirement resulting from its excessive operational prices and the rising obsolescence of its stealth capabilities.
Relating to the AN/APQ-188, officers have cited points from “delays with the show and sensor processor” as “the first trigger” of price overruns, highlighting that “the processor’s fibre optic converter – which supplies communication between processors – didn’t work in testing.” A report from the Authorities Accountability Workplace U.S. congressional watchdog on June 18, 2024, confirmed that alongside main price overruns with the B-52J, main delays meant that the plane would solely start to turn into obtainable with even a restricted preliminary operational functionality within the 12 months 2033. “This system famous that there have been program delays partly resulting from funding shortfalls to finish the detailed design, however that it has labored with the contractors and submitted finances requests to assist essential design assessment in August 2025 and preliminary operational functionality in mid-fiscal 12 months 2033,” the report noticed, highlighting that delays “are a results of underestimating the extent of funding wanted to finish the detailed design actions. Alongside a brand new radar, a central a part of theupgrade program is the mixing of eight Rolls-Royce F130 engines on every plane to interchange their Pratt & Whitney TF33s, which though pricey could have the advantages of lowering upkeep necessities and rising vary. The B-52 is meant to function as a part of a complementary pairing of bombers alongside the B-21 Raider subsequent era stealth bomber.
