Overview
- The Government Accountability Office found that 10 of 13 B-52 upgrade efforts are experiencing cost, schedule, or performance problems and that the Air Force plans about $21 billion to modernize 76 aircraft.
- The Commercial Engine Replacement Program has grown by roughly $3 billion and suffered more than a 15-month capability delay after the Air Force began production with minimal developmental flight testing.
- The Radar Modernization Program has also seen major cost increases and schedule slips, and June’s test-aircraft crash paused some radar flight testing while the Air Force moves work to a second modified B-52 to keep development moving.
- GAO issued six recommendations, including pausing CERP production until risks are analyzed, updating sustainment timelines, and expanding digital engineering; the Air Force agreed with most recommendations but only partially agreed to delay CERP production.
- If engine replacements slip, current depot plans that move B-52s through maintenance every four years may not be viable, risking spare-part shortages, heavier workloads for maintainers, and fewer mission-capable bombers for operations.