BUFF: Big Ugly Fat F**ker

It is almost as iconic as apple pie and baseball. The B-52 Stratofortress is the name of America’s strategic bomber game. Affectionately named the BUFF (Big Ugly Fat Fucker), this bird of war has been in operation since the Vietnam War and despite its age, it’s still kicking ass and taking names. Under the Trump administration the push to have our military modernized and upgraded, the Air Force has no plans to get rid of the old warplane, instead, they want to give it a 21st-century warfare upgrade.

The communication upgrade is via a system called Combat Network Communication Technology (CONECT). The CONECT upgrade allows crews to transfer target and other relevant mission data between airframes quickly and efficiently. This is a big plus as B-52’s usually travel extremely long distances to get their targets, and we all know how quickly situations on the ground can change. Instead of having to receive updated information over the radio where it can be misunderstood or even not received, this data-link system will help make sure the crews of the bombing machines ensure they are getting the latest intelligence from the battlefield. Through a software program is known as ARC 210 Warrior, aircraft on the station can relay relevant target data to the B-52 as it applies to their area of operations, making the entire close air support mission, much more efficient. All of the Air Force’s B-52’s should be up and running with CONECT by the year 2021.The next upgrade is the sexy one. It’s the weapons upgrade. The BUFF has been known to be able to carry an insane amount of weaponry, it’s hard to imagine that it could carry more. That’s just what developers are seeking to do utilizing the 1760 IWBU (Internal Weapons Bay Upgrade). With this upgrade, the B-52 will be able to carry more of the advanced JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munitions) series of weaponry. Previous to this upgrade, the B-52 would only be able to carry 12 of the JDAM weapons on pylons under the wings. With this upgrade, the J series weapons will now be able to fit inside the weapons bay increasing the payload by a whopping 66 percent. Again, efficiency is the key. If the B-52 can attack more targets per sortie, then we’re taking some wear and tear off of the airframe in terms of flight hours. We’re also taking some wear and tear off of the crews as they can get more time in between missions. Couple this upgrade with a new electronic countermeasure system both on board and in decoy form, and the B-52 is going to be deadlier and tougher than ever to bring down.With all of these upgrades and the superior design of the airframe, B-52’s are expected to remain in service till at least 2040.