The U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bomber has conducted the first-ever launch of laser-guided
bombs from a new Conventional Rotary Launcher (CRL).
CFL is a rotating carriage system that enables long-range bombers like B 52 to carry different
kinds of ammunitions inside the bomb bay.
This could be used to deploy air-launched cruise missiles and guided and unguided conventional
as well as nuclear bombs.
According to a 307th Bomb Wing report, the test performed by the 49th Test and Evaluation
Squadron on Aug 28, 2019.
In this video Defense Updates analyzes how Conventional Rotary Launcher (CRL) will make
B-52 Stratofortress more lethal?
Lets’s get started.
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The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic
bomber.
The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and
upgrades.
It has been operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) since the 1950s.
Superior performance at high subsonic speeds and relatively low operating costs have kept
the B-52 in service despite the advent of more advanced aircraft, including the variable-geometry
B1B Lancer, and the stealth B-2 Spirit.
B-52 Stratofortress replaced the Convair B-36 and it was meant to carry nuclear weapons
for Cold War-era deterrence missions.
It is a veteran of several wars which includes Vietnam War.
Interestingly the B-52's official name Stratofortress is rarely used; informally, the aircraft has
become commonly referred to as the BUFF (Big Ugly Fat Fucker/Fella)
B 52 is powered by Pratt & Whitney TF33-P-3/103 turbofans.
The 8 engines of the B-52 are paired in pods and suspended by four pylons beneath and forward
of the wings leading edge.
Each generates 17,000 lbf (76 kN) of thrust.
It has a typical combat range of more than 8,800 miles (14,080 km) without aerial refueling.
The massive range enables B 52 to take on strategic bombing missions.
The powerful engines also enable B 52 to carry up to 70,000 pounds (32,000 kg) of weapons
making it one of the most destructive bombers in the world.
The B 52 is capable of carrying both conventional as well as nuclear weapons.
They include free-fall bombs like CBU-87, air-launched cruise missile-like AGM-86s and
Laser Guided Bombs like GBU-10, GBU-12 & GBU-28.
Sometime back, Laser Guided Bomb (LGB) were deployed from the bomb bay of the jet using
a Cluster Bomb Rack system.
But certain analysis indicated that the method could have adverse safety implications and
the practice was discontinued.
So, LGB had to be carried externally which is not the best solution.
Lt. Col. Joseph Little, 49th TES commander explained, “We’ve still been able to utilize
LGB’s underneath the wings of the B-52, but they don’t do very well when carried
externally because they are susceptible to icing and other weather conditions,”
According to him, the seeker head of the LGB can be adversely affected by the elements,
potentially reducing its effectiveness.
This is where Conventional Rotary Launcher comes in.
It is an alternative to the Cluster Bomb Rack system and has no safety issues.
With CRL, the bombs could be carried internally with exposing them to the harmful effects
of weather.
The CRL is basically a weapon carrying and deployment system designed for the B-52 that
enables it to carry a variety of munitions.
It was made available to the B-52 fleet in 2017.
However, it was limited to supplying power to only four munitions at a time.
Maj. Jason McCargar, a 49th Test and Evaluation Squadron unit project officer explained,
“The Conventional Rotary Launcher has a high power draw, so an aircrew could only
power up four munitions at a time without risking blowing circuit breakers in mid-flight,”
He added, “With this upgrade, it can now have eight ready at once.”
Lt. Col. Joseph Little said, “It’s another arrow in the quiver, it
gives us the ability to carry more LGBs on the aircraft or give more variation on a conventional
load.
It adds capability and is another thing you can bring to the fight.”
Senior Master Sgt.
Michael Pierce, 307th Maintenance Squadron aircraft armament superintendent, who was
part of the effort to bring the CRL online at Barksdale AFB in 2017 said the ability
to carry a full power load to all munitions on the CRL, in addition to another 12 under
the B-52’s wings, has the potential to improve the jet’s lethality in combat.
He explained, “Now, a B-52 going into a war zone has the
ability to put 20 munitions on a target area very quickly,” “Before, they would have
to drop some of their munitions, power up the CRL again and then make another pass.”
He added, “The entire effort to modify the CRL moved pretty quickly.
The bottom line is yesterday we had the capability to deliver 16 weapons at one time and today
we can deliver 20 of them.”
CRL not originally designed for gravity-type bombs like the LGB.
The software upgrades have enabled this.
It is to be noted that apart from the enabling deliver more munitions in less time the modified
CRL has greater payloads for specific types of weapons.
During the test eight AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles were deployed on the CRL
as part of the testing.
This has special significance.
The AGM-158 JASSM (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile) is a low observable standoff air-launched
cruise missile developed by Lockheed Martin for the United States Armed Forces.
It is a large, stealthy long-range weapon with a 1,000 pound (454 kg) armor-piercing
warhead and it went into service in 2009.
An extended range version of the missile, the AGM-158B JASSM-ER (Joint Air-to-Surface
Standoff Missile-Extended Range), entered service in 2014.
B 52 is not a stealth aircraft and it has high radar returns making it vulnerable.
AGM-158 JASSM & AGM-158B JASSM-ER enables it to strike targets without having to get
into enemy's strike envelope.
JASSM's range of about 230 miles (370 km) whereas JASSM-ER has a range of 575 miles
(925 km).
Though B 52s are old they still have a role today.
It’s enormous payload capacity and long-range gives the American air force tremendous operational
flexibility.
The U.S Air Force is now developing the first prototype of the new B-21 Raider bomber.
The B-21 Raider is envisaged to be a super stealthy bomber which will be able to penetrate
the most sophisticated air defenses for decades into the future and be able to take out high-value
enemy targets without the rival even knowing it was there in the first place.
Though some B-52s will be replaced by Raiders, some will remain active to compliment the
B 21s going forward and this will see them operating beyond 2045.
There are also some proposals to extend the life of B 52 till 2060 with engine update.
In this situation, upgrades like CRL makes sense as it will enhance a platform which
is already widely used by US Air Force.