Bring in the BUFFs

The Air Force is pulling their B-1s out of the fight against ISIS and replacing them with B-52s. Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James says the air campaign against ISIS is "taking a toll on our aircraft, our readiness and our airmen." So it’s time to bring in the BUFFs, as they are informally called. BUFF stands for Big Ugly Fat Fellow. (Okay, the second ‘F’ doesn’t really stand for Fellow, but I try to keep this blog G-rated.)

The B-52 is the oldest aircraft in the Air Force inventory. It entered service in 1955 and the newest airplane still flying was built in 1962. They’ve been upgraded with modern electronics, communications, and high-tech sensors, but they’re still old airframes. In 2015 the B-52 completed 60 years of continuous service. It seems the B-52 is the bomber we always fall back on to get the job done.

We have newer bombers that were supposed to replace the B-52. There was the B-1B Lancer, introduced to service in 1986. When the first B-1 was rolled out of the factory before a crowd of 30,000, the engines wouldn’t start. Design flaws, fuel leaks, and engine problems kept the B-1 out of Operation Desert Storm. The plane had to be debugged before it could be flown on bombing missions.

There was the B-2 Spirit, also called the stealth bomber, introduced to service in 1993 and operational since 1997. It requires a climate-controlled hangar. Its stealth technology is so delicate that the plane can’t fly in the rain lest its stealthy outer coating becomes damaged.

B-52s were used over Viet Nam. B-52s dropped 40% of munitions during Operation Desert Storm. They were used in Operation Desert Strike. They bombed Serb targets in Yugoslavia during Operation Allied Force. They were used in Afghanistan and southwest Asia during Operation Enduring Freedom. They flew missions in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The US Air Force once had 744 B-52s. They’re down to 76 aircraft now. Many were retired when they reached the end of their service life. Another 365 were chopped into pieces as part of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START).

The Air Force cites several reasons for the B-52 still being in service after so many years. It is an effective and economical heavy bomber in the absence of sophisticated air defense. And there has been no reliable replacement. One study found the B-52’s ready rate averages 80.5% compared to the B-1’s 53.7% ready rate and the B-2’s 30.3% ready rate.

The Air Force intends to keep the B-52 in service until 2045. By then, the B-52 will have been in continuous service for 90 years. They will certainly have earned a retirement and will probably be taken out of service. On the other hand, it wouldn’t be a total surprise to see a few B-52s flying missions beyond even that distant date. The airplane is a rugged, well-built and well-maintained tool of war, and, after all, a 90 year old hammer can still drive a nail.