A symbol of massive firepower: Why the US flies B-52 bombers over the Middle East

Decades-old aircraft could be used to fire long-range missiles in 'unlikely' military confrontation between Washington and Tehran, retired colonel tells The National

It was built by Boeing during the Cold War era to carry out nuclear missions and made its maiden flight in April 1952.

The B-52 bomber, also known as the Stratofortress, is an imposing sight in the skies, its wide wing span creating a widely recognised silhouette. It has eight long-range engines and can carry a wide variety of munitions, including long-range nuclear missiles and 500-pound bombs.

“It has been in continuous operation since about the mid-1950s,” Mark Cancian, a retired colonel and senior adviser at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, tells The National. “Measured by longevity, it may be the most successful aircraft in history.”

That success, Col Cancian says, is thanks to the continuous upgrades the aircraft has received over its decades-long lifespan, one that, according to Boeing, could stretch beyond 2040.

A US Air Force B-52 bomber drops a load of M117 750-pound bombs over a bombing range in the US in this undated photo. Reuters

“The aircraft today are very different from what was originally built … the offensive avionics and defensive avionics have been vastly upgraded and replaced, and the engines are being upgraded also.”

In the first months of President Donald Trump's second administration, the US Air Force has carried out several missions involving B-52 bombers in the Middle East. They usually consist of flyovers in the region, sometimes with allies, and refuelling exercises.

Gen Michael Kurilla of US Central Command said the missions “demonstrate US power projection capability, commitment to regional security and ability to respond to any state or non-state actor seeking to broaden or escalate conflict".

In photographs from a recent mission on March 6, Israeli fighter planes were seen escorting a B-52 bomber.

While the exercises are often planned months or even years ahead of time, Col Cancian believes they serve as a direct warning to Iran. They also come at a moment when the US is set for a major escalation in the Red Sea against the Iran-backed Houthis with the expected presence of a second nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

“President Trump has taken a very hard line on Iran in his second term,” Col Cancian says. “He has been willing to use force in the Middle East, against the Houthis, for example. But I think it’s unlikely the United States would attack Iran; more likely, the United States would help Israel attack Iran.”

The US would do this by providing the Israelis with bunker-busting munitions, intelligence or electronic support in an effort to destroy underground Iranian nuclear sites, he says.

A B-52 Stratofortress refuels during exercises. Photo: Screengrab from US Air Force video by Staff Sgt Sean Carnes

But in the event of a military confrontation between Washington and Tehran, the B-52 could be used to fire long-range missiles from outside Iranian airspace.

“They are too vulnerable to air defence systems,” Col Cancian says, adding that the US would probably opt for the stealthier B-2 or B-1 bombers for missions inside Iranian air space.

“The B-52 symbolises massive firepower … its strength is in stand-off, staying outside of the air defence bubble and then firing into it.”