Posted on 06/24/2015 1:12:53 PM PDT by Brad from Tennessee
This photo shows the entire arsenal of a B-52 Strartofortress.
The standard loadout for this plane includes eight AGM-84 Harpoon missiles, four AGM-142 Raptor missiles, 51 500lb bombs, 30 1,000lb bombs, 20 AGM-86C conventional air-launched cruise missiles (CALCM), 12 joint stand-off weapons (JSOW), 12 joint direct-attack munitions (JDAM) and 16 wind-corrected munitions dispensers (WCMD), according to Airforce-technology.com.
In 1955, when the first Boeing B-52 Stratofortress became operational, nobody would have imagined that the plane would likely remain in service for nearly 100 years. Today, that's exactly what the US Air Force has in mind for this iconic aircraft.
Around 750 of the bombers were produced. Although the latest model of the plane came off the assembly line in 1962, the Air Force intends to keep flying these planes until 2040. The B-52 is a multi-purpose heavy lifter of the skies, that has carried drones, space shuttle components, cruise missiles, and even nuclear bombs. . .
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I remember seeing this photo in the early 1980’s
Would not surprise me if they keep the B-52 flying until 2100 at least. Except for electronics, aircraft technology has generally plateaued from the early 1960’s to now.
I flew on several C-47 in RVN as a passenger. Sitting among pallets of C-rats, mail sacks and sometimes body bags. The plane was so loud and vibrated so much that unless you were looking out a window you wouldn't know when it took off or landed. Those things could took a licking though.
I like that rotary cruise missile launcher.
Smith and Wesson made men equal...
The rotary cruise missile launcher made free people unequal to the bad guys.. and their air forces and radar..
NEXT: SUPER stealth cruise missiles.. on unmanned bombers.. i.e. 47b..
You are thinking of the USS Texas BB-35 which was built approximately 30 years after the original USS Texas.
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