Can upgraded B-1s, B-2s, and B-52s bridge the gap while the B-21 is delivered? A critical question for global air power readiness.
By Kris Osborn, Warrior
Years ago, the U.S. Air Force wrote what was called a “bomber vector,” a strategic document which identified the services’ “bomber deficit” and suggested a potential remedy. The core issue was a growing discrepancy between needs and requests of combatant commanders and available, ready bomber platforms. This problem has existed for many years and only grown more pressing as requirements for bomber task force deployments continued to increase around the world - in places such as the Pacific.
The challenge has been to find the necessary balance between arriving new platforms and upgraded legacy platforms with a specific mind to current force readiness and the “pace” of the production and delivery of new platforms. The service’s primary concern has quite simply been that there are not enough available bombers to support the Air Force’s global national security mission.
This predicament is very much on the Air Force’s radar now, as the service seeks to establish a solid, workable balance between the retirement of aging legacy platforms such as the B-1B, B-52 and B-2 and the arrival of the much anticipated B-21. While several B-21s are currently “airborne,” it is not clear how long it will take for the bombers to exist in large numbers, as it pertains to an Air Force-Northrop collaborative ability to “surge production.” Will aging current platforms retire before sufficient numbers of B=21s exist? Could this create a distinct and concerning national security liability or “gap” in air combat readiness?
The answer to this question hangs precariously upon the thin branches of yet-to-be determined contingencies …..and the continued success with modernizing existing platforms. These contingencies are quite clear and specific; will the B-21 be sufficiently accelerated with a “surge” in production? Can massively upgraded legacy platforms remain viable, credible, relevant and superior for years beyond their anticipated service life?
Enough B-21s?
The answer to both of these questions seems to be a possible “yes,” to flash a glowing, optimistic light upon the service’s perennial “bomber deficit” problem. Here are the reasons: it seems increasingly likely that Northrop and the Air Force will enterprise ways to accelerate B-21 production and delivery, even if it means opening another production facility. The notional goal is to deliver at least two B-21s per year, yet even if achievable, this may not be fast enough. The service seeks at least 100 or more B-21s, and the threat conditions are worsening, so delivering 20 over the next ten years seems insufficient. Is there a way to flex to “3” or “4” B-21 deliveries? This seems like an important question to answer, particularly since there are only 20 B-2s, potential delays with the B-52J and a fast aging fleet of B1-Bs.
However, all hope is by no means lost given the overwhelming evidence that legacy platforms can be sustained, modernized and upgraded to a massively successful extent. With some structural maintenance and reinforcement, airframes for combat platforms such as the B-52 or B1-B can remain viable for decades beyond their expected service life. Not only that, but bombers like the B-2 have become an almost entirely different aircraft due to massive, wide-spanning upgrades
In recent years, the Air Force has also reconfigured the B-1B weapons bay to carry more weapons, increasing the B-1B’s magazine capacity from 24 weapons internally, all the way up to 40. The adjustments to the bomb bay will also enable the B-1B to carry hypersonic weapons, something which greatly increases the aircraft’s lethality. The bomb bay itself has been massively reconfigured in anticipation of weapons which have yet to exist. Accommodating hypersonic weapons into a B-1B bomb bay brings a number of strategic implications; not only does it massively increase the target envelope and range but also allows for longer mission “dwell” time over targets to sustain attacks. Integrating hypersonic weapons serves two key Air Force aims – accelerate hypersonic weapons to war and sustain and upgrade the B-1 to its maximum extent.Integrating large hypersonics also works with the Air Force’s broader intent to quickly merge innovations from the science and technology realm into operational use.
B-52
This appears to be the case with the B-52 because, although the aircraft is a Vietnam-era plane with a classic history, today’s B-52 is almost an entirely different aircraft due to the nature and extent of the upgrades. Within the last decade, the B-52 has received a communications technology overhaul, internal weapons bay reconfiguration, new weapons interfaces and also developed an ability to launch drones. Perhaps of greatest significance, the B-52 is receiving a new F-130 engine. A B-52 could also easily be configured to launch drone swarms from the air to achieve tactical surprise by blanketing an area with ISR, testing enemy air defenses or even attacking as mini explosives.
The classic B-52 may fly for as long as 100 years, a staggering accomplishment which may not even surprise people, given the success of the upgrades the aircraft has received over the years. The Air Force is surging ahead with a new engine, a new “J” variant of the aircraft and plans for future operations possibly including launching drones, firing lasers and carrying new generations of weapons.
The B-52 will fly with a new generation of air-dropped bombs and fly with new nuclear weapons such as the Long Range Standoff Weapon cruise missile and air dropped B-61 Mod 12 upgraded nuclear bomb.
One of the most recent developments with continued B-52 improvement pertains to the well-known re-engining effort for the aircraft. For many years, the Air Force has been working with Boeing and Rolls-Royce to integrate a more powerful and efficient F-130 engine for the B-52.
Perhaps the most critical element of the new F130 engine is that it is expected to add 30 years of life to the B-52. Years ago, senior Air Force weapons developers explained that, with some structural reinforcement and maintenance, older airframes can remain viable and highly operational for years beyond their anticipated lifespan. This appears to be the case with the B-52 because, although the aircraft is a Vietnam-era plane with a classic history, today’s B-52 is almost an entirely different aircraft due to the nature and extent of the upgrades. Within the last decade, the B-52 has received a communications technology overhaul, internal weapons bay reconfiguration, new weapons interfaces and also developed an ability to launch drones. A B-52 could also easily be configured to launch drone swarms from the air to achieve tactical surprise by blanketing an area with ISR, testing enemy air defenses or even attacking as mini explosives.
New B-52 F130 Engine Surging
Rolls-Royce, Boeing, and the Air Force completed a critical design review of the engine in early 2025. This development enabled ongoing testing to remain on track. Altitude testing of the new engine took place in February 2025 at the US Air Force Arnold Engineering Development Complex in Tullahoma, Tennessee, Rolls Royce data explainsRolls-Royce further explained that the first phases of sea-level tests had also been completed, which helped solidify data analysis for the new engine. The success of the recent testing, according to Rolls-Royce, helped validate the F130 engine’s dual pod configuration as well. The engine is also built with a wide range of composite materials intended to increase reliability, improve weight distribution and improve thermal management or the regulation of heat from the engine.
The new F130 engine is a critical element of the emerging US Air Force B-52J variant expected to continue flying into the coming decades. While some structural reinforcements were performed on the airframe, the aircraft received an entirely new suite of avionics, computing command and control technology, and weapons configurations. These B-52 upgrades have been underway for many years at this point, improvements that will significantly fortify the most recent and cutting-edge B-52J.
B-52 Maintenance and Supply
The new engines will be at least 30 percent more fuel efficient than the existing TF33s, something which will lower operational and maintenance costs and also enable more dwell time or time over targets on missions. This enables a B-52 crew to re-evaluate and change targets or mission objectives as needed for longer periods of time. The F-130s are built such that they will not need an engine overhaul during its lifespan, a fact which also increases operational efficiency and reduces long-term costs for the aircraft.
F-130 technologies
Maintaining the F-130 engines will not require the Air Force to rely upon antiquated supply chains because they are based on commercial jet engine technology, so acquiring spare parts and streamlining supply chain operations becomes much more possible. Referred to as the Commercial Engine Replacement Program, the F-130 is a variant of Rolls Royce’s BR725 commercial engine. The new engine generates as much as 17,000 pounds of thrust, an amount much greater than the existing TF33 engines.
B1-B Overhaul
In recent years, the Air Force has also reconfigured the B-1B weapons bay to carry more weapons, increasing the B-1B’s magazine capacity from 24 weapons internally, all the way up to 40. The adjustments to the bomb bay will also enable the B-1B to carry hypersonic weapons, something which greatly increases the aircraft’s lethality. The bomb bay itself has been massively reconfigured in anticipation of weapons which have yet to exist.
Accommodating larger hypersonic weapons into a B-1B bomb bay brings a number of strategic implications; not only does it massively increase the target envelope and range but also allows for longer mission “dwell” time over targets to sustain attacks.
Integrating hypersonic weapons serves two key Air Force aims – accelerate hypersonic weapons to war and sustain and upgrade the B-1 to its maximum extent.Integrating large hypersonics also works with the Air Force’s broader intent to quickly merge innovations from the science and technology realm into operational use.
B1-B 30 Years of Service
The famous B1-B Lancer bomber may be more than 30-years old, yet the classic platform has surged into future decades with a wide range of evolving attributes to include new avionics, communications technologies, engines and even hypersonic bomb attack capacity. While a legacy platform heading toward eventual retirement and “end-of-service,” the B1-B has been preserved and sustained due to what the Air Force refers to as a “bomber deficit.” For many years, the service has maintained that its bomber fleet is insufficient to meet combatant Commander demands around the world, a circumstance which has led to massive service-life extensions of many of its platforms.
The strategy has been clear, as the Air Force wants to sustain its op-tempo of critical Bomber Task Force deployments and deterrence missions with its existing fleet until larger numbers of B-21s arrive. The overall approach is grounded in large measure upon the recognition that air frames from legacy aircraft often remain viable for decades after what may have been anticipated. With some maintenance and structural reinforcement, older airframes can surge into future decades with continued relevance and operational functionality.
B1-B WorkHorse
The Air Force’s B1-B bomber may capture fewer headlines than a sleek-looking, stealthy B-2 or F-35, yet the decades-old bomber has performed a massive volume of missions in recent years.
The B-1, which had its combat debut in Operation Desert Fox in 1998, went on to drop thousands of JDAMS during the multi-year wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The B-1 can hit speeds of MACH 1.25 at 40,000 feet and flies a ceiling of 60,000 feet. It fires a wide range of bombs, including several JDAMs: GBU-31, GBU-38, and GBU-54. It also fires the small diameter bomb-GBU-39.
Therefore, despite its age, the B1-B has surged into continued service as part of a key strategy to retain a viable and effective bomber fleet until larger numbers of the new B-21 arrive in the fleet.
B1-B Overhaul
This is why the Air Force has been pursuing a massive technical overhaul of the B1-B, giving the aircraft an expanded weapons ability along with new avionics, communications technology, and engines. The engines have been refurbished in years to retain their original performance specs, and the B-1 has also been getting new targeting and intelligence systems. A new Integrated Battle Station includes new aircrew displays and communication links for in-flight data sharing.
Another upgrade called The Fully Integrated Targeting Pod connects the targeting pod control and video feed into B-1 cockpit displays. The B-1 will also be able to increase its carriage capacity of 500-pound class weapons by 60 percent due to Bomb Rack Unit upgrades.
Kris Osborn is the President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified expert in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University