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B52 Bomber
Air Combat Command's
B-52 is a long-range heavy bomber that can
perform a variety of missions. The bomber
is capable of flying at high subsonic speeds
at altitudes up to 50,000 feet (15 km). It
can carry a variety of weapons, including
nuclear or conventional precision-guided munition
and has the capability to navigate the world
precisely. It was originally designed to carry
just two enormous thermonuclear weapons to
any point in the USSR.
For more than 50 years,
the B-52 Stratofortress has been the backbone
of the manned strategic bomber force for the
United States. The B-52 is capable of dropping
or launching a wide array of weapons in the
U.S. inventory, including free-fall (gravity
bombs), cluster bombs, and precision guided
ordnance such as Joint Direct Attack Munitions.
When updated with the latest technology, the
B-52 will be capable of delivering the full
complement of joint developed weapons; allowing
it to continue well into the 21st century
as an important element of U.S. military capabilities.
Current engineering analyses show the B-52's
life span to extend beyond the year 2045.
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