A US Air Force B-52 Stratofortress comes in for landing at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, in March 2025. The B-52 still has no designated successor, but the Air Force is beginning to plan one. (US Air Force/William R. Lewis)

What Comes After the B-52 Stratofortress? The Air Force Is Starting to Wonder

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The B-52 Stratofortress is expected to serve for a full century before its retirement—but could eventually be replaced by the “New Heavy Bomber,” its hypothetical successor.

The US Air Force continues to upgrade its fleet of B-52 Stratofortress bombers, which will remain in service until the late 2040s or early 2050s. The latest improvements to the workhorse bombers are the replacement of their engines, which are significant enough to warrant the first designation change in more than 60 years. Later this year, 64 years after the B-52 assembly line was shut down, the Air Force will receive its first B-52J.

Current plans call for the Air Force to operate the B-52s alongside the B-21 Raider from the late 2030s, when the aging B-1B Lancer and B-2 Spirit fleets are finally retired. Both of those aircraft will also receive upgrades to keep flying for another decade.

Now, after more than 70 years of operation, the Air Force is beginning to look beyond the B-52. Next........

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