The B-52 bomber is considered a miracle not only for the US military but for all of aviation history.
The large jet remains the workhorse of the Air Force seven decades after it debuted in the 1950s, and military officials believe the fleet can last through the century with routine modifications and modernization.
Prized for their payload, long range and ability to fly at high altitudes, B-52s have participated in many US conflicts, including the war with Iran.
Now, the investigation into why a B-52 Stratofortress crashed Monday shortly after takeoff from Edwards Air Force Base, killing eight, is rekindling questions about the 70-year-old planes, their purpose in a rapidly changing military environment and their future.
Experts say the investigation will include a review of the entire heavy bomber fleet, including past and future upgrades to the aircraft that the Air Force has called the “backbone” of its bomber force.
“The problem is that you do the math, and the equipment that was bought in the Cold War is very old, and there comes a point where these advanced aircraft are getting old,” said Douglas Birkey, executive director of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. “Structurally, can the plane stay together until 2050, where it’s designed? Well, nobody really knows.”
There is no doubt that the B-52 will continue its amazing run. The Air Force is currently working on a new version of the bomber, testing a new radar system and working with contractors to update its 1960s-era engines.
“If you take care of an airplane, you can fly it forever,” says Ross Aimer, a retired United Airlines pilot and CEO of Aero Consulting Experts. But, he added, ongoing updates to the B-52’s original design could also create problems that need to be investigated.
What exactly caused the B-52 Stratofortress to crash shortly after takeoff Monday during a routine inspection is not yet known, but officials at Edwards Air Force Base said the crash remains under investigation by the Air Force’s Interim Safety Investigation Board.
Unlike crashes involving private and commercial aircraft, the National Transportation Safety Board does not investigate military aircraft crashes. Instead, that investigation is being handled by an internal team of Air Force experts tasked with gathering evidence, preserving it and interviewing witnesses.
That evidence may include what is commonly known as a “black box.” A spokesman for Edwards Air Force Base said that the B-52 Stratofortress that crashed on Monday was armed with a military weapon the size of a black box, but could not confirm whether investigators were able to find it in the crash.
Birkey and others said the investigation may include not only an accident assessment, but also a review of past incidents involving the plane that crashed, as well as an analysis of past incidents involving the entire B-52 Stratofortress fleet.
How deep that review goes, experts say, will depend largely on what investigators find on the ground.
“They’re going to have to carefully inspect the ships,” Birkey said. “If they think it’s a systematic or mechanical thing, it can cause more scrutiny.”
Experts say the investigation could involve an in-depth review of the entire B-52 program. First flying in 1954, the B-52 played a major role in every US conflict for decades. Since then, the heavy bomber has undergone more than half a dozen modifications to match its technology to the changing needs of the military.
Testing of the new radar system is already underway, and testing of the new aircraft engines is expected to begin in 2027.
Edwards Air Force Base officials said the plane that crashed Monday was conducting routine testing for the Radar Modernization Program. On Wednesday, Air Force officials identified the eight crew members on board, including flight test engineers, pilots, two Boeing contractors and several members of the 419th Flight Test Squadron.
The aircraft has retained an important place in the Air Force for two important reasons, Birkey said. Its long range, ability to refuel mid-flight and ability to carry large payloads have made it essential in past US wars. The high cost of developing and building a new heavy bomber with similar characteristics, he said, has led military officials to opt instead for upgrading aging ships.
But Birkey said the accident investigation will consider those questions, including whether any problems found on the crashed plane are common to the rest of the ship or are unique to Monday’s accident.
“They will try to piece together what happened,” said Birkey.
Birkey said test aircraft are often equipped with additional equipment that records various types of data because military officials and contractors are trying to gather as much information as possible about the aircraft and its systems.
“They are well connected,” Birkey said, adding that the plane may be equipped with additional sensors to record information.
But experts point out that, unlike normal airline investigations, which usually include a published report, the military’s investigation into Monday’s crash may not be public.
According to the Air Force, the Interim Safety Board tasked with investigating the crash is tasked with gathering as much information as possible and passing it on to the Safety Investigation Board, which is made up of experts, to complete the investigation.
This transfer of the security investigation board is expected to take place this weekend, said the spokesperson of the office.
But Aimer and other aviation experts point out that, despite its age, the B-52 has an impressive safety record, with few known incidents and crashes.
Before Monday’s fatal crash, the most recent incident involving a B-52 occurred in 2016 in Guam, after the plane overran the runway. Another B-52 crashed in Guam in 2008, killing six.
“Let’s be honest, rethink and replace an old aircraft, it would be like putting chrome wheels on a Honda Civic from the late 1970s,” said Aimer. “It’s still a Honda Civic.”
If there is a problem with the iconic B-52 after the latest crash, Aimer said it may stem from the changing nature of warfare and technology.
The biggest and most recent threat to the B-52’s existence did not occur at Edwards Air Force Base, but in Iran. Although the bombers were part of the campaign, they were far from the only heroes.
“They may decide, this is a major upgrade, where we can focus on drones instead of remote bombers,” Aimer said. “I think the days of sending in Marines and B-52s may be over. We may have learned a sad lesson from the Iran war.”
