Boeing has announced the completion of wind tunnel tests for the B-52 strategic bomber engine replacement program. The company plans to modernize the aircraft so that it can be used for another 30 years.

The tests are part of the Pentagon’s total $11.8 billion modernization program for the B-52 strategic bomber fleet. Americans want planes to stay in the air until the 2050s.

It is claimed that the new engines will be much more economical and easier to maintain. Additionally, the B-52 will also go through a radar upgrade program. The Cold War era bomber will feature the new, more powerful Raytheon AN/APG-79 radar used in the US Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornets. The fighter-grade radar is expected to provide the B-52 with superior tracking capabilities, as well as precision weapon delivery and fire control. Other systems on the aircraft will also be replaced.

The first batch of modified B-52s should be delivered by the end of 2028.