Photo: Master Sgt. Lance Cheung (U.S. Air Force)
Jalopnik: General Electric Wants To Keep America's B-52s In The Air Until 2097 (At Least)
The B-52 Stratofortress ain’t new. The first one flew nearly seventy years ago in 1952. The last ones were built ten years later. But just because it’s already been around for decades doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a lot more fight left in it. At least General Electric seems to think so.
General Electric is trying to convince the Air Force and congressional bean counters that its re-engining program could extend the lifespan of the B-52 platform more than seventy years into the future. The Air Force has already planned to keep the planes in the air through the 2040s even as the new B-21 Raider stealth bomber comes into service as well, but General Electric thinks the B-52 has a little more life left in it to give. Nearly sixty more years worth, to be exact.
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WNU Editor: I will be surprised if they will be flying 20 years from now let alone 77 years.
