[The World Through Weapons] Why Did the B-52 Become a Symbol of U.S. Nuclear Power?

Appearance of the B-52 bomber [Image source = Boeing official website / http://www.boeing.com]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-woo] Recently, Mark Esper, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, emphasized the need to modernize nuclear weapons in front of the B-52 bomber, known as the U.S. strategic nuclear bomber. The B-52 is quite familiar to South Korea as well. During the peak of tensions between North Korea and the U.S. in 2017, it was frequently deployed around the Korean Peninsula and was regarded as a symbol of a tough stance against North Korea.

According to foreign media such as the Associated Press, on the 19th (local time), Secretary Esper visited Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota and made remarks emphasizing the modernization of nuclear forces in front of the B-52. Secretary Esper stated, "Both Russia and China are modernizing and expanding their nuclear weapons," and emphasized, "To maintain our strategic deterrence, all three major nuclear forces must be modernized." The three major nuclear forces refer to the three strategic weapons: strategic bombers like the B-52, intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), and strategic nuclear submarines (SSBNs) capable of covertly launching nuclear missiles. Coincidentally, all three forces are deployed at Minot Air Force Base.

The reason Secretary Esper specifically called for "modernization" in front of the B-52 is because the B-52 is indeed a very old aircraft. This aircraft is nicknamed the "Stratofortress," meaning "fortress in the sky." It is the world's longest-serving bomber. It first flew in 1952 and was deployed in 1955, making it nearly 70 years in active service. It is famous for its significant role in the Vietnam War. The current B-52H model still flying was delivered in 1962, meaning it has been flying for almost 60 years.

The appearance of the B-1 bomber [Image source= Boeing official website/http://www.boeing.com]

Originally, the bomber was developed during the intense arms race between the Soviet Union and the United States, and it was expected that a next-generation bomber would soon replace it. Even during the Vietnam War, when about 17 B-52s were shot down, there was a demand for bombers capable of high-speed, low-altitude penetration. However, successors like the B-1 and B-2 bombers were too expensive, and the congressional budget approval process did not easily pass for the desired quantities, which extended the B-52's record as the longest-serving bomber.

This bomber is indeed an old model, but it is sturdy, large, has a good bomb load, and can fly over 20,000 km without aerial refueling. During the 1990 Gulf War, it flew directly from the U.S. mainland without aerial refueling to conduct large-scale bombing operations. In the 2000s, it continued bombing missions in the 2001 Afghanistan War and the Iraq War. As the U.S. stealth fighters and drones completely dominated air superiority, bombers no longer needed to perform evasive maneuvers against anti-aircraft guns; they simply had to carry large bomb loads. This change in the battlefield environment, where new bombers were not urgently needed in actual combat, was another major factor that greatly extended the B-52's lifespan.

Formation flight of B-52 bombers
[Image source=Boeing official website/http://www.boeing.com]

However, recent observations suggest changes in the B-52’s lifespan as the Trump administration’s 2021 fiscal year defense budget emphasized nuclear force modernization the most. Earlier, the U.S. Air Force announced plans to continue using the B-52 by partially upgrading and repairing it until 2045, raising the possibility that it could become a living museum flying in active service for nearly 100 years.

The Trump administration allocated about $46 billion for nuclear force modernization, which is even larger than the $41 billion budget for the U.S. State Department and International Development Agency. The goal is to maintain strategic deterrence against the military build-up of China and Russia through nuclear force modernization. On the other hand, there is also an assessment that this strategy aims to compete with Russia by entering the booming market for ballistic missiles and missile defense systems expanding among developing countries such as Turkey, India, and various Middle Eastern nations.