美 공군 B-52H Stratofortress 폭격기 성능개량 소식...

 

美 공군이 현재 보유, 운용 중인 85대의 B-52H Stratofortress 폭격기에 대한 성능개량 사업을 Boeing 社가 9월 29일

수주하였다는 소식을 소개 합니다.

 

앞으로 약 8년에 걸쳐 총액 약 120억불에 이르는 성능개량 사업을 B-52H 에 대해서 실시한다는 내용이며, 이를 통해

향후 30년을 더 美 공군이 운용할 계획이라 합니다. 1955년 초도기가 美 공군에 배치된 것을 기준으로 한다면 단일

기종으로 무려 80년 이상을 운용하는 것이 되며, 1961년도부터 배치된 현재의 B-52H 모델을 기준으로 한다면 무려

2040년도 초반까지 운용한다는 계획 입니다.

 

수년 전 부터 美 국방성과 공군에서는 차기폭격기 (NGB, Next Generation Bomber) 개발에 대한 다양한 의견들이

나오고 있습니다만, 아직 뚜렷이 유인기로 갈 것이냐 혹은 무인기로 갈 것이냐는 원론적인 의견과 개발비 조달 문제

등으로 답보 상태에 있는 가운데, 이번 美 공군의 B-52H 에 대한 성능개량 소식은, 美 공군이 고민하고 있는 장거리

핵투발 능력의 지속적인 유지에 대한 고민을 단적으로 보여주는 사례로 판단됩니다.

 

한편 현재 美 공군은 제8공군 예하 제2폭격비행단 (Louisiana 州 Barksdale 공군기지) 에 3개 대대, 제5폭격비행단

(North Dakota 州 Minot 공군기지) 에 2개 대대, 그리고 AFRC 예하의 제917비행단 (Louisiana 州 Barksdale 공군

기지) 의 2개 대대에서 각각 B-52H Stratofortress 85대를 운용하고 있습니다.

 

참고로 美 제8공군 (8 AF) 은 최근 새로이 출범한 Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) 에 편입되었습니다.

 

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Bomber; B-52 bombers to get $12B in support

Shreveport Times, 10/02/2010

Author: John Andrew Prime

(c) Copyright 2010, Shreveport Times. All Rights Reserved.

 

The nation's fleet of nuclear-ready Boeing B-52 bombers, the bulk of which are here at Barksdale Air Force Base, will get almost $12 billion in upgrades and modernization over the next eight years, the Department of Defense announced this week.

 

The sole-source $11.9 billion contract was signed with Kansas-based Boeing "for the acquisition and sustainment activities needed to support B-52 weapon system modernization" and will be implemented through three subsequent contracts, the Pentagon release said.

 

"This B-52 modernization contract ... will allow engineering sustaining contracts, studies, production and other activities to occur in support of the B-52," Boeing said in a release.

 

"It certainly is a good announcement," said Murray Viser, president of local military support group Barksdale Forward. "The upgrades to the systems certainly will provide great capabilities for the B-52 and keep the airframe and the aircraft current with missions that are out there for it."

 

Though few operational details are available, Boeing spokeswoman Jennifer Hogan said "any delivery orders that will occur under this umbrella contract — the engineering design and development — will happen at the Boeing Wichita facility." Any production or installation will be at the discretion of the Air Force.

 

Boeing rolled out the big bomber in late 1951, first flew it in early 1952 and delivered the first service models for the Air Force to field in 1955. It first came to Barksdale in 1958 and has been here since.

 

Though the bomber has changed only slightly in appearance over the years, through a shorter tail and longer nose.

 

More revealing, however, are small farms of pods, bumps and antennas bursting parts of its outer skin, the only outside signs of constant upgrades in terms of computers, communications, avionics, radars, electronic countermeasures and weapons delivery.

 

From 1952 to late 1962, Boeing built 744 B-52 in eight models. Of those, only 85, all of the "H" mark, remain on operational duty. Most of those are at Barksdale, in service with the 11th, 20th and 96th bomb squadrons of the 2nd Bomb Wing, and with the 93rd and 343rd Bomb Squadrons of the Air Force Reserve Command's 917th Wing. The latter is unique in terms of sharing a strategic, or nuclear, mission with the active-duty 2nd Bomb Wing.

 

A smaller number of the B-52s are in two squadrons at Minot Air Force Base, Barksdale's sister facility in North Dakota.

 

With no new bombers on the drawing boards, with a limited number of B-2 Spirit bombers and less-capable B-1 Lancers relegated to non-nuclear missions, the B-52 is expected to serve at least another 30 years under current Air Force planning.

 

 

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