What Happened
Bomber Modernization Program Advances Toward Flight Testing
The US Air Force’s B-52 Commercial Engine Replacement Program has completed its Critical Design Review, paving the way for the first two B-52H Stratofortress bombers to be modified into the future B-52J configuration. The review, which brought together experts from the US Air Force, Boeing, and Rolls-Royce, confirmed that the design meets all warfighter and technical requirements. The program is now moving toward physical aircraft modification, with the first B-52H scheduled to arrive at Boeing’s facility in San Antonio, Texas, later in 2026. The B-52 modernization effort is intended to keep the bomber in service into the 2050s, and this development was first reported by AeroTime.