The B-52 Gets a 21st-Century Upgrade

America's newest, nuclear-tipped cruise missiles will be carried by an airplane already more than 50 years old, if the Air Force's strategy proceeds as planned. The Air Force has been eager to build a long-range bomber to carry nukes, preferably one that can evade radar while closing in on targets. But that program is languishing—officials have not even decided if the new planes will be piloted, robotic, or optionally manned—and, in the meantime, the B-52 Stratofortress will fill the gap. The tactic: Have the B-52 fire a new air-launched cruise missile far from the target and let the missile, not the airplane, defeat any advanced air defenses. The B-52s tasked with this mission will fly until at least 2040, representing nearly a century of active duty. The airframes and engines will remain the same, but the birds will be upgraded with new hardware (as well as with the nuclear brawn) to extend their service lives.

Seahawk

070814-N-3136P-034 PACIFIC OCEAN (Aug. 14, 2007) - An HH-60H Seahawk attached to the “Chargers” of Helicopter Squadron (HS) 14 is cleared for launch from USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) flight deck prior to Valiant Shield's photograph exercise. The Kitty Hawk, John C. Stennis and Nimitz Carrier Strike Groups are participating in Valiant Shield 2007, the largest joint exercise in the Pacific this year. Held in the Guam operating area, the exercise includes 30 ships, more than 280 aircraft and more than 20,000 service members from the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. Kitty Hawk is entering the third month of its summer deployment. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jimmy C. Pan (RELEASED)

070814-N-8157C-152 PACIFIC OCEAN (Aug. 14, 2007) - An HH-60H Seahawk helicopter flies past the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) during a joint photo exercise (PHOTOEX) concluding Valiant Shield 2007. The PHOTOEX featured 15 ships and 17 aircraft from Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps including a B-52 bomber. The John C. Stennis, Kitty Hawk and Nimitz Carrier Strike Groups were participating in Valiant Shield 2007, the largest joint exercise in recent history. Held in the Guam operating area, the exercise includes 30 ships, more than 280 aircraft and more than 20,000 service members from the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Denny Cantrell (RELEASED)

“Looking at the smoke trail that the B-52 is leaving behind in that pic and smiling at the amount of grief that would give any enviroweenie by looking at it :)”

As a new private pilot in 1981; I saw that smoke trail from a distance.
I was going east, smoke trail was coming south. Quickly figured out the smoke trail was a B52 flying UNDER my altitude.
They were doing low level training missions over Iowa then.

the F-35 overall cost be extended beyond the 50 year limit as well, with the cost projections reflected in a manner that would present the F-35 in a more favorable economic light.

Compared to the vastly lower cost, superior maneuverability, and reduced risk of a forward-swept wing drone? Hell, we could even put those drone fighters on a C-5 platform and give air combat range that it has NEVER approached. Fuggetabout the F-35.

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