AFA 2026: USAF announces two milestones in B-52 modernisation programme

An air-to-air front view of a B-52G Stratofortress aircraft from the 416th Bombardment Wing armed with AGM-86B Air-Launched Cruise Missiles (ALCMs). US Air Force (USAF) Boeing B-52 Stratofortress bomber armed with Boeing AGM-86 air-launched cruise missile (ALCM). ;416th Bombardment Wing (US Air Force)

The US Air Force (USAF) announced it had reached both Milestone B approval for the B-52J Commercial Engine Replacement Program (CERP) and Milestone C approval for the B-52 Radar Modernization Program as part of the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress modernisation programme.

The USAF announced on 15 September 2026 it reached Milestone B approval for the CERP on 1 June 2026 and Milestone C approval for the RMP on 21 August 2026.

The Milestone B decision “established the program's first official Acquisition Program Baseline and authorized entry into the Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase”, according to the USAF.

The USAF previously announced in May 2026 that the B-52J CERP completed its critical design review (CDR) phase. The USAF completed its CDR before Milestone B as part of a strategy to reduce risk and cost overruns before entering the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase.

William Bailey, principal deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics and performing the duties of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics, told reporters during a 15 September media roundtable the modernisation team has developed “a lot of great work understanding what's it going to take for us to be able to re-engine the aircraft”, saying it was “the byproduct of a lot of great modelling, a lot of great ground testing, understanding what the engine's going to need to be able to do.”