The US Air Force has received its first B-52 aircraft equipped with Boeing’s APQ-188 AESA radar, with testing set to take place at Edwards Air Force Base.
Delivered under the B-52 Radar Modernization Program, the bomber completed ground integration and functional testing at Boeing’s San Antonio site prior to its arrival in California.
The modernization effort adds two Display and System Sensor Processors to integrate the new radar with legacy aircraft systems, along with high-definition touchscreen displays for the navigator and radar navigator, paired with fighter-style control grips.
Additional improvements include a liquid-cooling system for the radar and engine bleed-air heating to ensure reliable operation in harsh, cold environments. Flight-test data will shape future development phases and support the eventual upgrade of the entire fleet of 76 operational B-52s.
The RMP forms part of a broader, decades-long initiative to sustain and enhance the bomber’s operational relevance.
Initial concepts for replacing the aging AN/APQ-166 radar were studied years earlier, with Boeing and the US Air Force examining options for integrating an advanced AESA system.
The program advanced through laboratory and ground testing, system integration, and early flight trials, leading to the delivery of the first fully upgraded aircraft in 2025.
Together with parallel upgrades to avionics, weapons, and defensive countermeasures, the radar modernization ensures the B-52 will continue to serve as a key global strike asset well into the 2050 timeframe.
