Article Posted on : - Jan 29, 2010

The B-52H is US long range Multi Role Bomber, which is an upgraded version of the basic B-52 bomber. The Boeing aircraft entered into service in 1961, since then it went through several design changes and several variants of the bomber upgraded systems are commenced in the navy.

B-52H aircraft has a length of 159ft 4inch and its take off weight is 488,000lb. The bomber is a large aircraft , when it is on the ground the surface of the aircraft on the forward section of the fuselage has a wrinkled appearance. When the aircraft gains altitude after the crew compartment is pressurised its skin expands and becomes smooth again.

It has an Electro-optical viewing system (EVS) AN/ASQ-151, which consists of the Raytheon AN/AAQ-6 forward-looking infrared (FLIR) in the starboard turret and Northrop Grumman AN/AVQ-22 low-light-level television camera (LLTV) in the port turret.

The B-52H is equipped with a wide range of electronic warfare equipments like the ITT AN/ALQ-172(V)2 electronic countermeasures system, AN/ALR-20A radar warning system, Motorola AN/ALQ-122 multiple false target generator, The B-52H has eight Pratt & Whitney TF33-P-3 turbofan engines, each providing more than 17,000lb of thrust. The aircraft has ten internal plus two external fuel tanks with a capacity of over 181,000l, which give an unrefuelled range of more than 8,600 miles. The operational range with one air refuelling is 7,500nm.

Specifications

Crew: 5

Dimensions

Wingspan: 185ft
Wing Sweepback: 35°
Length: 159ft 4in
Tail Height: 40ft 8in

Weights

Weapons Payload: Over 70,000lb
Take-Off Weight: Over 488,000lb

Engines

Powerplant: 8 x Pratt & Whitney TF33-P-3 turbofan engines
Thrust per Engine: Over 17,000lb

Performance

Speed: 545kt True Air Speed (KTAS)
Altitude: Over 50,000ft
Unfuelled Range: Over 8,600 miles.

Weapons

Advanced Cruise Missiles (ACM): 12
Air-Launched Cruise Missiles (ALCM): 20
Bombs: 8
Conventional Air-Launched Cruise Missiles (CALC): 20

-Courtesy:
        Air Force Technology Website