TITLE:
BOEING
B-52 'Stratofortress'
TYPE:
Eight-jet
heavy bomber.
PROGRAMME:
Full-scale
development of system to carry AGM-86B air-launched cruise missile started
early 1978; 98 B-52Gs and 95 B-52Hs modified to each carry 12 AGM-86B on
inboard external pylons plus SRAM or other armament internally; first unit to
reach IOC with AGM-86B with 416th Bomb Wing of SAC at Griffiss AFB December
1982; all aircraft fitted by late 1989; programme completed FY 1990.
DESIGN
FEATURES:
Cantilever
all-metal semi-monocoque with anhedral and 35 degrees sweepback. Hydraulically
actuated variable incidence tailplane.
STRUCTURE:
All-metal
stressed skin structure. The fuselage is an all-metal semi-monocoque structure.
The tail unit is a cantilever all-metal structure.
LANDING
GEAR:
Four
individually retracted twin-wheel main units in tandem pairs, retracting into
fuselage fore and aft of bomb-bay. Two forward units have hydraulic steering.
All four units can be set at a selected degree of castor in flight or on the
ground for 'crosswind' landings. Small outrigger units retract inward into
wings outboard of outer engine positions. Ribbon braking parachute. 13.4 m (44
ft) diameter, in compartment in top of fuselage aft of rudder.
POWER
PLANT:
(B-52H):
Eight 75.6 kN (17,000 lb st) Pratt & Whitney TF33-P-3 turbofans. Fuel
capacity 174,130 litres (46,000 US gallons; 38,303 Imp gallons) internally,
plus two 2650 litre (700 US gallon; 583 Imp gallon) underwing drop tanks.
ACCOMMODATION:
(B-52G/H):
Crew of six (pilot and co-pilot, side by side on flight deck, navigator, radar
navigator, ECM operator and gunner).
AVIONICS:
Boeing
OAS (offensive avionics system), introduced from 1980, is a digital solid state
system, and includes Tercom (terrain comparison) guidance, a Teledyne Ryan
Doppler radar, Honeywell AN/ASN-131 gimballed electrostatic airborne inertial
navigation system (GEANS), IBM/Raytheon AN/ASQ-38 analog bombing/navigation
system with IBM digital processing, Smiths attitude heading and reference
system, Honeywell radar altimeter, Honeywell controls and displays, and Norden
Systems modernised strategic radar. Under Phase II of the programme, completed
by FY 1989, all 152 B-52Gs and 95 Hs were equipped with OAS. All currently
operational B-52Hs have an AN/ASQ-151 electro-optical viewing system (EVS) to
improve low level penetration capability. The EVS sensors are housed in two
steerable, side by side chin turrets. The starboard turret houses a Hughes
Aircraft AN/AAQ-6 forward-looking infrared (FLIR) scanner, while the port
turret contains a Westinghouse AN/AVQ-22 low light level TV camera. Phase VI
avionics include Motorola AN/ALQ-122 SNOE (Smart Noise Operation Equipment) and
Northrop AN/ALQ-155(V) advanced ECM; an AFSATCOM kit which permits worldwide
communication via satellite; a Dalmo Victor AN/ALR-46 digital radar warning
receiver; Westinghouse AN/ALQ-153 pulse Doppler tail warning radar and ITT
Avionics AN/ALQ-172(V) ECM.
ARMAMENT:
(B-52H):
Single 20 mm Vulcan multi-barrel cannon in tail turret instead of four
machineguns. All aircraft being equipped to carry 12 AGM-86 cruise missiles
externally and eight internally on CSRL. See also Upgrades, below.
DIMENSIONS
EXTERNAL:
Wingspan:
56.39 m (185 ft 0 in)
Length
overall: 49.05 m (160 ft 10{9/10} in)
Height
overall: 12.40 m (40 ft 8 in)
DIMENSIONS
INTERNAL:
Weapons
bay volume: 29.53 m{3} (1043 cu ft)
WEIGHTS
AND LOADINGS:
Max T-O
weight: more than 221,350 kg (488,000 lb)
Max wing
loading: approx 595.7 kg/m{2} (122.0 lb/sq ft)
Max
power loading (approx):
G: 452.1
kg/kN (4.44 lb/lb st)
H: 366.0
kg/kN (3.59 lb/lb st)
PERFORMANCE:
Max
level speed at high altitude:
Mach
0.90 (516 knots; 957 km/h; 595 mph)
Cruising
speed at high altitude:
Mach
0.77 (442 knots; 819 km/h; 509 mph)
Service
ceiling: 16,765 m (55,000 ft)
Range
with max fuel, without in-flight refuelling:
H: more
than 8685 nm (16,093 km; 10,000 miles)
LENGTH
(m): 49.05
HEIGHT
(m): 12.40
WINGSPAN
(m): 56.39
MAX T-O
WEIGHT (kg): 221,350
MAX WING
LOAD (kg/m/2): 595.70
MAX
LEVEL SPEED (knots): 516
SERVICE
CEILING (m): 16,765
T-O RUN
(m): 2900