Why is the B-52 considered so formidable in combat?

Why is the B-52 considered so formidable in combat?

A long time ago, during the 1950s, the United States required a long-range plane to carry heavy loads. Boeing responded to the need. The first B-52 flew in 1952, and by 1955 was operating officially with the U.S. Air Force. Amazingly, it's still in the air today.

744 B-52s were produced in total, the last one coming off the production line in 1962. Which means that all the B-52s still flying today are more than 60 years old — older than most of the crews and pilots who are flying them. And still, the planes manage to perform their missions successfully.

Why? Because the B-52 does what it was designed to do — and does it well. The Air Force over the years has upgraded the bomber with improved radar, new computers, and smarter bombs. But its engines? They've stayed the same. Old and inefficient, they guzzle too much fuel and break easily.

That's finally happening. The Air Force has selected the F130 engine made by Rolls-Royce to power the B-52 as its new engine. Quieter, with more power and better fuel efficiency, these engines will be manufactured in Indiana and are already being tested in Mississippi.

All the B-52s will ultimately get the new engines — and with the update, a new name: the B-52J. The whole fleet should be upgraded by 2038.

This iconic bomber has a capacity of carrying as much as 70,000 pounds of bombs and missiles. It has a range of more than 8,800 miles without refueling. It can stay aloft for hours, hit targets far away, and remain out of harm's way.

76 B-52s are active today. The majority are stationed in Louisiana, with others placed in storage in Arizona and available to be reactivated if necessary.

The Air Force intends to keep the B-52 airborne until at least 2050. If so, it will be the first bomber ever to remain in service for almost a century.

It's not just an old plane — it's a living legend that won't go away.