&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "What is the B-52 Bomber? Everything to know about the aircraft that crashed in California")
The B-52 bomber that crashed shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base, Los Angeles, on Monday was the deadliest one involving the aircraft since 1982. All eight crew members died in the recent crash, while the previous accident killed nine crew members who were test training at the Mather Air Force Base near Sacramento. Boeing, which manufactures the plane, also had two of its employees on board the bomber.
The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress has been in service since 1955 and is one of the few aircraft in military history to achieve over 70 years of continuous service. It is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber considered the backbone of the United States Air Force's (USAF) strategic bomber force. Its crews call it the BUFF (Big Ugly Fat Fella).
Specifications of B-52 bomber
The B-52 is a heavy strategic bomber which is conventional and nuclear-capable. It is designed to carry five people - Aircraft Commander, Pilot, Radar Navigator, Navigator, and Electronic Warfare Officer. It has a wingspan of 185 feet, with a distinctive 35-degree sweep. The immense length of the wings leads them to sag when on the ground, so small "outrigger" wheels are placed at the ends to support them. The maximum take-off weight is 219,600 kg, and it can carry 31,500 kg of payload. It can reach speeds of 650 mph (Mach 0.84). Also Read: Eight feared dead after US Air Force B-52 bomber crashes at California's Edwards Base
Main features of B-52 bomber
The B-52 was originally designed as a high-altitude nuclear penetrator for a single catastrophic mission during the Cold War - to deliver free-fall nuclear bombs deep inside Soviet territory flying at a height of 50,000 feet. It was assumed that early radar and interceptor jets could not easily reach those altitudes. However, things changed when a high-altitude U-2 spy plane was shot down over the Soviet Union. The B-52 was then repurposed for low-altitude penetration - at just 200 to 400 feet above the ground. Also Read: Dramatic footage captures moment Russian Tu-22M3 bomber crashes in Siberia
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Once low-level air defences became sharper, B-52 stopped flying into enemy airspace and launched missiles from the ground from hundreds of miles away. Today, it works in tandem with fifth-generation stealth fighters like the F-35 or B-21. The latter spot targets with advanced sensors, delivers the information back to the B-52, which then releases long-range cruise missiles.
B-52 will stay in service for 100 years
The US Air Force plans to continue using the B-52 till the 2050s. The original, ageing TF33 engines are being replaced with modern Rolls-Royce F130 engines. This upgrade will improve fuel efficiency by roughly 30 per cent.
