Boeing is set to equip a B-52 bomber from the U.S. Air Force 307th Bomb Wing with the Active Electronically Scanned Array system, manufactured by Raytheon Technologies, Air Force Materiel Command announced Tuesday.
Col. Louis Ruscetta, senior materiel leader for the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s B-52 Program Office, said the AESA system will replace the legacy radar technology used by the bomber to increase its navigation and targeting capabilities.
The B-52 radar modernization program is expected to cost approximately $2.8 billion and reach initial operational capability in 2027.
Boeing, the original equipment manufacturer of B-52, selected Raytheon in July 2019 to design, develop and manufacture AESA to ensure the readiness of the Air Force’s B-52 fleet through 2050 and beyond.
“The advancement in combat capability that AESA will bring is really critical in keeping this aircraft effective with our near-peer adversaries,” Ruscetta said.