What Happened
US Air Force Modernizes Long-Service Bomber Fleet with Advanced Radar System
The US Air Force has completed the ferry flight of a B-52 Stratofortress with a new active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, marking another step in the service’s broader effort to modernize the long-serving bomber fleet. The aircraft flew from Boeing’s San Antonio facility to Edwards Air Force Base, California, on December 8, 2025. The mission was carried out by crews from the 49th Test Evaluation Squadron at Barksdale Air Force Base and the 419th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards. The B-52 Radar Modernization Program aims to improve navigation, mapping, and targeting accuracy, as well as reduce maintenance demands. The upgrade is part of a wider effort to modernize the aircraft, which includes new avionics, updated mission systems, and a complete re-engining effort. The redesignated B-52J is projected to enter service around 2033, extending the bomber’s operational life into the 2050s. The modernization effort was first reported by AeroTime.